The All Bengal Blind Teachers’ Association filed a public interest litigation in Calcutta High Court on Friday, challenging the Election Commission’s steps against the visually impaired government employees who could not perform election duties.

Sources said nearly 2,000 visually impaired teachers across the state were assigned election duty, which they failed to perform, prompting showcause notices by the EC.

The All Bengal Blind Teachers’ Association filed a PIL challenging the EC’s decision to showcause to the government employees.

Advocate Biswajit Mukherjee said that according to the Election Commission rules, visually impaired government employees could not be appointed as polling officers.

However, allegations have surfaced that nearly 2,000 visually impaired teachers across Bengal were assigned election duties as polling officers.

“When they were unable to perform those duties, show-cause notices were issued against them as part of disciplinary action,” Mukherjee said.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen directed the EC to promptly hear the association’s submissions and, based on those representations, communicate its decision within 60 days.