Maharashtra local body elections: 80 staffers of Dombivli school booked for being absent during training ahead of KDMC polls

Ahead of the Maharashtra local body elections the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation KDMC has registered FIR against 80 teaching and nonteaching staff members of Pawar Public School in Palava area of Dombivli East for allegedly remaining absent from mandatory election training for the KDMC Election 2026However the school management has stated that while it duly informed all selected staff about the election duty their absence was a matter of individual choice and not institutional noncomplianceThe FIR was registered at Bazarpeth Police Station in Kalyan West on Sunday evening under Section 223 disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS 2023Civic bodyrsquos complaintThe complaint was lodged by Assistant Municipal Commissioner Sandeep Rokade who stated that official orders appointing 80 staff members as presiding officers and polling officers were issued on January 6 under the authority of the Municipal Commissioner and Election OfficerldquoDespite written orders repeated telephonic communication and reminders issued over a sixday period from January 6 to January 11 the appointed personnel failed to attend compulsory election training programmes organised by the civic body adversely affecting election preparednessrdquo Rokade said in his police statementSchool managementrsquos responseResponding to the allegations Pawar Public School principal Ishita Chowdhury said the institution had received three notices from KDMC mdash on December 19 2025 December 29 2025 and January 9 2026 mdash which were promptly forwarded to all 122 teaching and nonteaching staff members selected for election dutyldquoThe school administration did its part by informing the staff as and when notices were received However it was their individual decision not to attend the trainingrdquo Chowdhury saidldquoI can appeal to the staff but I cannot force them into doing something they do not want to dordquo she addedPostFIR compliance measuresChowdhury further stated that following the registration of the FIR the school took immediate steps to ensure complianceldquoOn Sunday after the FIR was filed we asked all staff to attend the training We kept the school on a halfday on Monday sent students home early and allowed the staff to report for trainingrdquo she saidAccording to her around 25 staff members had attended the training even before the FIR was registered while an additional 50 to 55 teaching and nonteaching staff attended the programme on MondayStaff cite health concerns and past experiencesSome staff members reportedly refused to report for election duty citing medical or healthrelated reasons Others pointed to their past experiences during Lok Sabha and State Assembly electionsldquoThe conditions were pathetic There were no washrooms no breaks and duty hours stretched from eight to twelve hoursrdquo said a teacherldquoThere were pregnant women and people with health issues but no consideration was given That is why many of us did not want to go through the same ordeal againrdquo said another teacherPolice discussions and possible withdrawal of FIRPawar Public School is also designated as one of the polling centres for the upcoming KDMC electionsMeanwhile a school administration official said discussions had been held with the police following the FIRldquoWe have spoken to the police and agreed to do what is necessary The police have assured us that they will squash the FIR once there is compliance from our endrdquo the official saidKDMC issues warningIn an official statement KDMC officials said that the services of government semigovernment and educational institution staff are requisitioned to ensure that civic polls are conducted smoothly transparently and within the prescribed timelineThe failure of a large number of appointed personnel to report for training was viewed as a serious lapseMunicipal Commissioner and Election Officer Abhinav Goyal has warned that strict legal action will be taken against any personnel assigned election duty on January 15 and 16 2026 who remain absent without valid reasons