The Delhi High Court is hearing a petition challenging the Election Commission of India's deployment of government school teachers for work related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the national capital.

The PIL, filed by advocates Rajesh Kumar Gogna and Ashok Agarwal, questions the use of government, municipal and government-aided school teachers as Booth Level Officers and for other SIR-related duties. The petition argues that assigning teachers election work affects their regular teaching responsibilities.

The matter has come up again after an order issued by the Electoral Registration Officer for Assembly Constituency 65, Seelampur, on September 17. The order directed BLOs and BLO Supervisors to distribute SIR hearing notices to electors at their addresses and obtain acknowledgements.

It also set different timings for teachers depending on their school shifts. Teachers in morning or general-shift schools are to undertake SIR work after the first half of school hours, while those in evening-shift schools are expected to complete the election-related work before school begins. School heads and principals have been asked to make internal arrangements so that classroom teaching is not disrupted.

The issue had previously come before the Delhi High Court in July. The Court had questioned the Election Commission's authority to deploy teachers for electoral work and asked it to explain the legal basis for doing so. The ECI had cited provisions of the Representation of the People Act and Article 324 of the Constitution.

In a subsequent hearing, the Court said the ECI should ensure that election-related duties do not become an "unbearable burden" for teachers and that their regular teaching responsibilities are protected. The Court also asked the poll body to be mindful of the hours teachers already spend in schools while assigning SIR duties.

The latest petition seeks appropriate directions from the High Court on the deployment of teachers for SIR-related work. The matter is being heard alongside the wider legal scrutiny of the ongoing electoral-roll revision in Delhi.