Exemption from election duty sought for teachers above 50 years in Karnataka

The teachers working with the government and aided schools have urged the State Election commission to exempt the teachers aged above 50 years and those with comorbidities from election work.

According to teachers’ associations, “About 50% of the government staff used for election work are teachers and majority of them are above 50 years.”

Karnataka State High School Assistant Teachers’ Association president H K Manjunath said, “We will soon submit a request to the Election Commission not to utilise services of teachers above 50 years during the upcoming Gram Panchayat elections scheduled from December 22 to 27.”

The teachers associations also expressed concerns over the number of teachers infected with Covid-19 while deputed on Covid duty. “There is no security for us while doing such work. We have lost some of our colleagues for the deadly virus,” said another member of the association.