West Bengal polls: Disabled people get call of duty, must attend training
Times of India | 27 March 2026
KOLKATA: With no clear directive on poll duties for physically challenged persons, the EC on Thursday said exemption pleas would be considered only after medical check-ups. Many such persons have sought exemption but have, for now, been asked to attend poll training.
Sandip Ghosh, a physically challenged schoolteacher from Hooghly's Khanakul, has been asked to attend training on Saturday at Arambagh Boys' School. He said that despite declaring his disability before every election, he is repeatedly assigned poll duty and made to undergo medical tests each time.
"My left side is semi-paralysed, and I cannot hold or carry anything. I have been assigned duty as a presiding officer, which I cannot perform. I informed the district administration, but was told to attend the training or face a show-cause notice. I will be released only after a medical test, but until then I must follow the instructions," he said.
Debashis Chattaraj, who has a hearing impairment and is unable to speak, has also been assigned poll duty as a presiding officer. His wife, Surangana Chattaraj, said she has been communicating with the district administration on his behalf, seeking exemption.
"It is not that my husband is unwilling, but he cannot perform this duty as he cannot communicate easily or respond promptly. He got this job on these grounds, so we don't understand why he is repeatedly assigned such duties. He is very upset and the stress is telling on his mental health. Today, I went to the DM office with him and explained the matter. We have also emailed the Election Commission detailing his disabilities," she said.
Shikshanuragi Oikya Mancha, a forum fighting for physically challenged teachers who have received poll duties, will stage a protest at the EC office on Friday, demanding an end to such harassment. Kinkar Adhikari, the general secretary, said, "Despite the HC guidelines in our case, people with special needs are being forced into election duty and harassed. This must stop. Why do they have to prove their disability every time to get exemption?"
A Calcutta HC order was passed on July 3, 2023, in response to a writ petition, directing that "If there is a clear statutory bar from doing so, then the state election commission shall not deploy physically challenged persons to function as polling officers or polling personnel."