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Teachers in Mumbai have requested a one-day paid leave after January 15 municipal elections, citing 18-hour election duty, long-distance travel and late-night work. Tasks include overseeing polling, sealing EVMs, completing documentation, and submitting reports. Coordinators argue leave should be routine to support teacher well-being and student safety.

Mumbai: For the municipal elections set to be held on January 15, the teachers are deployed at several schools to complete the documentation work and oversee the voting at all the polling booths, owing to the hectic workload, the teachers seek a one day paid leave on the day after polling.

Hectic Schedule

“We go to the polling stations on the day before to look at the arrangements and on the day of polling . We are incharge of the smooth functioning of the voting, which is a tedious job,” said Madhav Suryavanshi, Chief coordinator of Shikshan Vikas Manch, Yashwantrao Chavan Center.

“We will start our day at the polling station from 8 am, and even though the polling ends at 5pm, the voting continues till the last person has voted in the queue. It still takes over two hours to complete the compilation of documents and then head home,’” said Ajit Tijore, one of the teachers.

Sealing and Reporting

“Afterward, the processes of sealing the EVM machines, completing the necessary paperwork, safely depositing the materials at the main collection center, and submitting reports all continue until late at night. Therefore, the staff have to travel late into the night, often after midnight,” stated Suryavanshi in a letter to the state education department and the election commission.

For the teachers, it is not just an 18-hour duty but a tedious task paired with long distance travel. “I stay in Mira-road and teach at a school in Bandra, while this commute is regular for me, I am posted at a school in Mulund, so after the election duty which might end around 8:30pm, I am required to travel two hours to reach home, then start work again at school,” said Alka Rane, a teacher. “After an almost 18-hour duty, how do we go to the schools the next day and teach the students?,” she added.

Suburban Challenges

“Especially in Mumbai, many employees live in the suburbs or in areas like Vasai, Virar, Mira Road, Bhayandar, Karjat, Kalyan, Badlapur, and Ambernath. Reporting for regular duty the very next day after working late and undertaking a long journey is mentally and physically stressful for them,” said Suryavanshi.

Suryavanshi further said, “there have been instances before when the holidays were declared, however, it was on the voting day itself and each time we have to demand it. This should be a part of the routine so that teachers and students get a leave mandatorily.”

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