Not 1,609, 3 teachers died on poll duty: UP

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government claimed on Tuesday that only three government teachers succumbed to Covid-19 during the recently held panchayat polls, dismissing assertions by prominent teachers’ bodies that at least 1,600 staff died after contracting the infection.

The basic education department said its numbers were based on reports submitted by district magistrates across the state so far. “The department expressed its profound grief over demise of three teachers and has initiated process to provide ex gratia to their kin,” said Satya Prakash, under secretary, basic education department, UP.

Uttar Pradeshiya Prathmik Shikshak Sangh chief Dinesh Chandra Sharma refuted the government’s claim. “It is unforapril tunate to see such an indifferent attitude of the basic education department towards government school staff,” he said.

The department said as per the rules of the state election commission (SEC), a government official is considered on election duty from the period the employee leaves their residence for attending poll-related training and ends when they reach their residence after duty. This normally comprises 3-4 days.

On Monday, additional chief secretary, panchayati raj, Manoj Kumar Singh, said that as per Election Commission of India rules, if polling is scheduled on April 10, then teachers engaged on poll duty report a day before (April 9) and leave the next day (April 11).

“If anything untoward happens during these three days, it will be considered as death on poll duty...”