Kerala: No poll duty for mothers with kids under 2 years

 

Currently, women having kids  up to the age of one are exempted from poll duty for  the local self- government institutions. The rule is not binding on Parliament and Assembly elections unless the Election Commission of India issues an order in this regard. But as the  majority of state government employees are being assigned for local polls, it would be helpful to them.

 

“We need 1,40,000 government employees as polling officers only in the 35,000 booths for local polls,” said SEC  K. Sashidharan Nair. 

 

He added that the SEC had received many  submissions to lift the age bar of the kids  to do away with poll duty. “In Kerala, the husband will go for work in the  majority of families. Hence, a mandatory assigning of duty on the mother will leave a question mark on the care of the child,” he said.  

 

The  SCPCR had received a complaint from a couple from Kannur after the recent local body polls.  They pleaded that the election duty assigned to both of them had left their child at the mercy of a neighbour which was not safe.

 

“According to the national breast-feeding policy, feeding is preferred up to the age of two. So, that aspect was also looked into,” said SCPCR member  Naseer Chaliyum who issued the order.