Untimely death of teacher couple on election duty shocks Punjab
FIR threats against teachers for election duties unjustified
Ferozepur, December 14, 2025: Democratic Teachers Front – DTF – expressed deep anguish over the untimely death of a teacher couple from Moga district while proceeding on election duty, the leaders held the state government responsible for the tragedy. Also Terming the move as arbitrary and condemnable, leaders of various teachers’ and employees’ unions have strongly criticised the district administration for issuing directions to register FIRs against teachers and other employees who failed to attend election rehearsals.
Leaders of the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) Punjab, 6635 ETT Teachers’ Union, Computer Faculty Association and SSA-RMSA Employees’ Union said that Returning Officers-cum-Sub Divisional Magistrates in different constituencies of Ferozepur district issued blanket orders for lodging police cases without even ascertaining the genuine reasons for the absence of employees from election duty.
The union leaders said teachers are already overburdened with non-academic work, despite the Punjab government’s claims of ushering in an “education revolution”. They alleged that teachers are being deployed for election duties as far as 100 kilometres from their homes, causing immense hardship and bringing school education to a standstill..
They further pointed out that Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who were earlier exempted from election duties, are now being forced to perform multiple duties simultaneously, leading to undue harassment.
The Democratic Teachers’ Front, Ferozepur, demanded immediate withdrawal of orders directing registration of FIRs against teachers and an end to their harassment. Warning of agitation, the leaders said that if the district administration continues to trouble employees, the issue will be taken up in the meeting of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on December 15, where a programme of intensified protest will be announced.