GUWAHATI: The excuse of poor health to stay away from election duty could cost some school teachers dear. The Nalbari administration has recommended to the state education department voluntary retirement for 17 government school teachers who had pleaded for exemption from election duty on grounds of poor health. The medical board set up for the election, also found them unfit for election duty.
Sources in the election department said they are receiving applications from a number of government employees in various districts for exemption from poll duty, but the steps taken by the Nalbari administration has raised the eyebrows of government officials.
“Medical fitness is essential for continuation in service. It appears that the incumbent (the teachers) have been found medically unfit but not on medical leave. It may be assumed that they are not fit for their service too,” read the letter to the secretary of the state secondary education department from the Nalbari deputy commissioner. He recommended in the letter that the employees may be asked to go on voluntary retirement from their government service.
Joint director of health services in Nalbari, Umesh Phangshu, said the teachers had pleaded before the deputy commissioner’s office, to relieve them of poll duty. “We checked the health conditions of 17 government officials, who have been working as teachers. For the time being they were found unfit,” he confirmed. However, despite being a part of the medical board for the district, he refused to comment whether the teachers can be considered unfit for future teaching jobs.
State government sources said that most of the 17 teachers, who faced the wrath of the district administration, are set to retire in a couple of years and aged between 55-60 years.