Teachers’ body demands EC to pay Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia for on-duty deaths

Hyderabad: The Telangana State United Teachers’ Federation (TSUTF) has requested the Election Commission to extend support to the families of teachers and employees who died due to sunstroke, road accidents, heart and brain- related problems during the election training and on the polling day. It sought better treatment to the employees who fell seriously ill.

Minority Gurukula College Principal Narasimha ( Hyderabad district), Lakawat Ramanna ( Siddipet) and Srikrishna, senior assistant of Zilla Parishad in Bhadradri Kothagudem district died while discharging election-related duties. Porika Madhukar, a teacher of Boorugpet ashram school in Mulugu district, fell seriously ill with brain stroke and is being treated at Secunderabad KIMS.

According to the EC guidelines, the district election authorities have to grant an ex-gratia of Rs 15 lakh to the families of teachers who died while discharging election duty. This amount has to be paid first from the State government funds and subsequently reimbursed by the Central government, TSUTF leaders K Jangiah and CH Ravi said, demanding financial assistance be provided as soon as possible.

The TSUTF leaders also said that some district election officers had not followed the CEO’s order to pay uniform remuneration to employees who attended poll duties and demanded uniform remuneration across the State. The union wanted the EC to take action against the police and the officials who were responsible for the lathi-charge on teachers at Narayankhed reception centre for questioning non-payment of uniform remuneration. The leaders also met CEO Vikas Raj and submitted a memorandum on the demands.