The Punjab government’s decision to keep government and aided schools open this weekend for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has drawn criticism from teachers’ unions, which say repeated election duties are disrupting academics and adding to the burden on an already understaffed teaching workforce.All booth level officers (BLOs) have been directed to remain present at their respective polling stations from 8 am to 3 pm. (HT PHOTO)Under the directions issued by the chief electoral officer, special camps will be held at all polling stations on July 11 and 12 for the collection and digitisation of enumeration forms. All booth level officers (BLOs) have been directed to remain present at their respective polling stations from 8 am to 3 pm.The Lecturer Cadre Union condemned the decision, alleging that teachers continue to be deployed for non-academic duties at the cost of classroom teaching.District president and state finance secretary of the union, Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, said repeated election and government assignments had already affected academic work in government schools.“Schools are already facing a severe shortage of teachers. Keeping schools open on weekends for election-related work places an additional burden on teachers,” he said.Dhillon also pointed out that many teachers posted in Ludhiana belong to other districts and travel to their hometowns on weekends.“The orders were issued on Friday afternoon after school hours. Many teachers had already left and now have to return at short notice,” he said, adding that the department had not clarified which schools would function as polling stations.“We have been informally told that staff from schools without polling booths will be deputed to nearby schools, but no formal instructions have been issued so far,” he added.Deputy district education officer (Secondary) Amandeep Singh said all government and aided schools would remain open as per the directions issued by the department. “Further operational instructions are awaited,” he said.Special camps for electoral roll revision this weekendThe deputy commissioner-cum-district election officer Himanshu Jain said the two-day drive is being conducted under the directions of the Election Commission of India to expedite the door-to-door survey, collection and digitisation of enumeration forms under the roll revision drive. He said booth level officers will remain present at their respective polling stations to assist eligible voters in filing the forms, verifying personal details, collecting supporting documents and digitising the submitted forms.The deputy commissioner has appealed to eligible voters to visit their designated polling stations during the special camps and complete the required formalities and urged residents to carry the necessary documents to help officials complete the revision exercise smoothly.