Private unaided schools and their teachers have moved the Bombay High Court challenging show-cause notices issued by the Election Commission of India for not reporting for Booth Level Officer (BLO) duties as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls. The petition comes amid concerns raised by educators over alleged coercive action and disruption to academic activities due to their deployment in election-related work.

The petitioners have argued that BLO duties are traditionally assigned to government and semi-government employees, and that extending the responsibility to teachers in unaided private schools is beyond the intended scope of such electoral assignments. They contended that being compelled to undertake these duties significantly disrupts school functioning and affects students’ academic schedules, particularly during crucial examination and teaching periods.

In their plea before the High Court, the teachers and school managements also highlighted fears of punitive action for non-compliance. They pointed to instances earlier this month where Mumbai Police had registered FIRs against several teachers from aided schools for allegedly failing to report for BLO duties, raising concerns that similar coercive steps could be taken against unaided school staff as well.

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The matter has gained urgency as the Special Intensive Revision exercise progresses, with the final electoral roll scheduled to be published on October 7. Election authorities, however, maintained that the process requires adequate manpower for verification and updating of voter lists, which is why teaching staff have been engaged in the exercise alongside other designated officials.

During the hearing, the petitioners informed the court that the additional responsibilities are placing an undue burden on teachers and impacting the education system. They emphasized that academic continuity is being affected due to prolonged absence of teachers from classrooms, particularly in schools already operating with limited staff strength.

According to reports from the court proceedings, election authorities orally assured that no coercive action would be taken against the petitioners until the matter is further heard. The Bombay High Court is expected to examine the legality and scope of assigning BLO duties to teachers in unaided institutions in the upcoming hearings, as the dispute raises broader questions about administrative workload and electoral process implementation.

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