PIL in Telangana HC said circulars by chief electoral officer kept primary teachers out of the MLC election. Petitioner’s counsel said that like all other teachers, they are also graduates and it makes no sense to keep them out of the polls
Hyderabad: A PIL was filed in the Telangana high court on Friday urging it to ensure voting rights for teachers working in state-run primary and upper primary schools in the ensuing MLC (teachers) election.
The PIL filed by Beemanaboina Krishna Murthy, a secondgrade teacher from Banda Katipalliof Bommala Ramaram mandal in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, questioned the circulars issued by the chief electoral officer and district collectors regarding enrolling teachers as voters for the MLC election.
Petitioner’s counsel Chikkudu Prabhakar said these circulars omitted primary and upper primary teachers thereby depriving them of their voting right. They are working on par with high school teachers and to discriminate against them is unfair, he said, adding that like all other teachers they are also graduates and it makes no sense to keep them out of the purview of MLC elections.
The counsel argued that the decision of the authorities runs contrary to the Representation of the People Act and hence rules must be amended to provide equal space to the primary schools teachers.
State counsel Rahul Reddy said that norms prescribe that a minimum period of service is required to gain voting rights and the same is in tune with section 27(3) (b) of RP Act and also Article 171 of the Constitution. Petitioner’s counsel Prabhakar, however, argued that authorities are going forward in a manner that is discriminatory towards primary schools teachers and hence the intervention of the court is required. As the plea was not clear, the bench led by of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe asked the petitioner to file a better affidavit and adjourned the case to the first week of November.
