What's going on with Teachers Election Duty PIL

AAP alleges irregularities in Delhi's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

Nearly 50% of residents in villages and unauthorised colonies have not received enumeration forms.

The Election Commission claims 99% distribution of forms, which AAP contradicts.

The SIR exercise risks mass deletion of voters from electoral rolls.

Delhi High Court questioned the Election Commission over deploying school teachers as Booth Level Officers for the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The court asked under what legal authority teachers were compelled to perform election duties, citing Article 324 of the Constitution.

The court rejected the EC's claim that teachers serve as volunteers, noting that refusal could lead to disciplinary action.

The EC argued it derives power from Section 13B(2) of the Representation of the People Act and that teachers are engaged only during holidays and non-teaching hours.

The bench questioned why teachers should have to give up their holidays for election work despite compensation being offered.

Delhi High Court questioned Election Commission of India (ECI) over making government school teachers mandatory for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duty as booth level officers (BLOs) and enumeration staff.

The court observed assignments should be voluntary, not mandatory, and noted teachers are not ECI employees.

Petition argued entire teaching staff withdrawn from schools, leaving classes to guest teachers or teachers from unrelated subjects, harming students' education.

The bench noted Supreme Court judgments may limit ECI's power to compel teachers under Article 324.

Case stems from ECI's July 14 order requisitioning teachers in Ambedkar Nagar for SIR work.