Kolkata, April 17 (IANS). The Calcutta High Court on Friday set aside the Election Commission of India (ECI) decision to appoint college teachers as presiding officers for the two-phase assembly elections in the state.
A single-judge bench of Justice Krishna Rao set aside the ECI order. The commission had issued a notification a few days ago appointing college teachers of assistant professor rank to act as presiding officers for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
The Commission had also announced that they would be given separate training as presiding officers, and the training process had already begun for many of the teachers.
In view of this, the bench clarified that teachers who have already completed the training process will have to work as presiding officers, but teachers who have not yet completed the training process will not be appointed.
Following the Commission’s notification, a section of college teachers approached the Calcutta High Court, questioning the propriety of these appointments.
The matter was heard before Justice Rao’s bench on Friday, where the Commission’s counsel said that there have been earlier instances of college teachers being appointed as presiding officers in previous elections, but this is the first time that a section of college teachers have objected to the proposal.
However, the Commission’s lawyers could not give any concrete reason why it was so necessary to appoint college teachers as presiding officers.
Justice Rao, while quashing the Commission’s notification regarding appointment of presiding officers, also remarked that if the ECI deems fit, it can appoint college teachers for other election-related work as per their service grade and pay scale.
Voting for the assembly elections in West Bengal will be held on April 23 and April 29, while the counting of votes will take place on May 4.
–IANS
ASH/DKP
