Retired govt servants be given poll duties, says top jurist

A top jurist heading Kerala Pay Revision Commission today opposed the assigning of serving government employees and teachers for election duties and suggested that the services of retired government employees should be utilised for the purpose.
"We have thousands of experienced retired officials having immaculate civic sense. They are very efficient. They are known for their integrity. Why shouldn't they be appointed for election duty?" Chairman of 10th Kerala Pay Revision Commission Justice (retd) C N Ramachandran Nair told various news channels here.
Indicating the recommendation in this regard will find a mention in the next Pay Revision Commission report to be submitted to the government, Nair said serving teachers and government employees should not be "diverted" from their jobs at any cost.

In remarks that could kick up a nationwide debate, Nair said, "In Kerala, there are five lakh retired officials. All of them are well experienced. If they are assigned election duty, that would help them getting some extra income."
Nair, a former Kerala High Court judge, also said that the leaves of the government employees and teachers should be cut down.
He also did not favour any organisational activities by them during working days.

"Government employees and teachers engaging in organisational activities during working hours... It is not good for a civilised society....Such activities should be allowed only on holidays and weekends," he said, and suggested that measures should be taken to increase productivity and efficiency of teachers and employees along with pay hike.

Emphasising the need for strengthening academic activities in schools, Nair also suggested annual youth festivals be conducted only during summer vacation.
Otherwise, it would affect the studies of the children, he said.
The 10th Kerala Pay Revision Commission was constituted to study and make recommendations on pay revisions, allowances and other benefits of the state government employees, including teaching and non-teaching staffs of aided educational institutions, local bodies etc.
(REOPENS MDS5)
Meanwhile, the Joint council of state service
organisation came down on the views expressed by the jurist and said they should be dismissed with contempt.
The commission's proposed recommendations that leave of government employees and teachers should be reduced and organisational activities should be held only during holidays was protestable, organisation general secretary S Vijaykumar Nair said.

The employees through continuous struggle have achieved the freedom to engage in organisational activities and efforts to curb this cannot be accepted, he said.
It was untrue that service organisations leaders were indulging in only organisational activities. They give leadership to welfare activities of employees, he said, adding, Justice Ramachandran had insulted the organisational activities being undertaken by government employees and teachers.