Teachers on poll duty demand comp-off

One of the teachers association, Shikshak Parishad, has demanded a compensatory (comp-off) leave from the education department, for all teachers who took part in election work on Sunday (October 12).
Around 30,000 teachers were called for poll training on October 12.

On April 9, 1980, the education department published a circular allowing teachers to take a comp-off, if they had worked on a weekly holiday or government holiday. According to the Shikshak Parishad, the director of Maharashtra, had issued a similar circular on June3, 1980.

Anil Bornare, president, Shikshak Parishad, Mumbai, said, "We have written a letter to the principal secretary of education department, Ashwini Bhise, and also to the state election commissioner JS Saharia, to issue a similar circular that will allow us (teachers) to take a comp-off."

According to Bornare, if the department does not come out with such a circular then the teachers won't be able to take their comp-off, as not many schools are aware of it.

Both, JS Saharia and Ashwini Bhide were unavailable for comments.