Centre, EC should revisit rules, say academics

Academicians are of the view that the central government and the Election Commission of India must revisit the rules pertaining to government staff succumbing to Covid-19 during poll duty.

Prof Manoj Dixit, former vice chancellor of Dr RML Awadh University, Faizabad (Ayodhya), said, “If a government employee is on election duty it should be treated as government duty. And every death that has happened due to direct and indirect role in elections due to Covid-19 should be duly compensated. No trivial explanations are desired.” “It is a good example to avoid giving compensation to those who are dying on duty,” he said, referring to the existing rules. Former Lucknow University vice chancellor and social activist Professor Roop Rekha Verma said, “It is being very cruel to government school staff. First, they are deployed on election duty in this pandemic and if they have died after a week contracting infection during polling days, it will not be considered as election duty.”