Forced election duty : ailing primary school teachers falls seriously sick and in hospital , EC and RO office indifferent

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, April 22, 2024

Compulsion to perform election duty on pain of job loss or punitive action has become a major threat to the health and well being of ailing employees . The point is illustrated by the critical condition of a primary school teacher who is now confined to bed in GBP hospital in serious condition. Sources aware of what happened said that Subhas Das, a teacher of Hariapara junior basic school in west Jarulbachai under Sadar subdivision had been requisitioned for election duty in spite of the fact that he had been ailing from various ailments for many months.

After receiving the requisition letter Subhas Das found that he had been directed to do poll duties in Birendra Nagar HS school under Jirania subdivision. Being physically unable to do the tension ridden duty Subhas Das had sought relief from the SDM (Jirania) and returning officer of West Tripura seat and DM (West) Bishal Kumar’s office but was flatly refused. Under compulsion Subhas Das reached the Birendra Nagar HS school on April 18 but soon collapsed on the ground , having lost his senses. He was shifted first to Jirania hospital and then to GBP hospital , Agartala in a critical condition and is still under treatment in GBP hospital in serious condition.

Strongly resenting the matter Subhas Das’s wife and other relatives said that the election commission and the office of the RO (West) should take responsibility for the illness of Subhas Das . They also demanded that the election commission and the RO office bear the expenses of the treatment of Subhas Das who continues to be in hospital.