Assembly Elections: Part-Time Teachers On Poll Duty Yet To Receive Their Ballots

Coimbatore: A section of part time teachers in government schools in the district today threatened to boycott poll duty if they were not allowed to exercise their democratic right of voting through postal ballots.

Of the 500 plus part time teachers, nearly 405 have not received ballot forms but have to leave for election duty by this evening, a group of 40 teachers said.

"We have come to the Collectorate to meet District Collector Archana Patnaik to know the status of our voting rights," Thyagarajan, a teacher, said.

The teachers said that whenever they asked authorities about exercising their voting rights, the stock reply was that it would come the following day, but it never came.

They said part time teachers should not be neglected, especially at a time when the Election Commission was going all out to ensure 100 per cent voting percentage.

Thiagarajan said their future course of action, including boycott of poll duty, would be decided after discussions with all affected teachers.

Meanwhile, a few assistant professors from government colleges also complained of non-receipt of forms to cast their votes.