The campaign for MLC election to Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Teachers and Graduates constituencies is suspected to be a saga of repeated violations of the Model Code of Conduct in Adilabad. Election authorities have noticed nearly 50 reported violations by teachers for having used government school premises to campaign for respective candidates.
Based on newspaper reports, election authorities are issuing notices to District Education Officer and concerned Mandal Education Officers calling explanation on the alleged campaign on government school premises since February 28. Of the 33 alleged violations which have been cleared by the Assistant Returning Officer for issuing notices 26 relate to the campaign for teachers constituency candidates.
The founder of Telangana United Teachers Forum, C. Swamy, now a retired teacher who is involved in the reported campaigns on school premises, denied that the ‘meetings’ concerned canvassing support for any candidate. “The meetings were held either to discuss some problems of the teaching community or to attend a farewell programme of SSC students,” he claimed.
“Normally, problems are discussed at other fora, not at school level,” said a teacher. “Teachers are campaigning and causing disturbance in schools,” he asserted.
The State general secretary of TUTF, T. Lachiram also denied that teachers were campaigning in school premises. “Complaints would have been lodged by rival teacher unions, if campaigning had taken place on government school premises,” he stated.
The newspaper reports, however, tell a different story. All the reports that have been cross checked by election authorities explicitly mention that campaigning had taken place, along with the names of schools and identity of those involved.
“You have pictures in newspapers showing teachers participating in meetings on school premises. This is proof enough for initiating necessary action against those involved,” affirmed another teacher who is apparently critical of the way the campaigning in MLC election was being carried out.