EC warns Mulayam Singh Yadav over remarks about ad hoc teachers

The Election Commission today today issued a warning to Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav for allegedly threatening to withdraw the permanent status provided to ad hoc teachers in Uttar Pradesh by the state government headed by his party if they did not vote for it in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The Commission had issued a notice to Mr Yadav on April 18 for making the statement, which was in violation of the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct.

In his reply to the notice, Mr Yadav, a former Chief Minister and Union Minister, said the decision to regularise the "Shiksha Mitras" was taken by the state government before the elections were announced. He also said he had no power to amend or modify the decision. He said he had not said that the decision would be withdrawn if the teachers did not vote for his party.

The Commission also noted the assurance he gave that he woud not make any reference to Shiksha Mitras in his election campaign now onwards.

The Commission said in its order of today that it had considered his reply carefully and also seen the video recording of his speech of April 3 in Bulandshahar and was convinced that he had made the impugned statement, violating the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct.

"Now, therefore, the Commission, hereby, warns him to be careful in future and expects that he shall not make any statement during election campaigning which may constitute a violation of Model Code of Conduct," the order added.

"Shiksha mitras" are ad hoc teachers in government primary schools in Uttar Pradesh.

NNN