The Karnataka High Court has directed the principal of a private school in Bengaluru to ensure teachers on vacation are called back and report for census duty immediately.
Observing that census work is a national responsibility, the court said, “It is a national duty, you are bound to do it.”
Interim relief to principal
Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum, in an interim order, directed the chief census officer and commissioner not to take coercive action such as filing an FIR against the principal under the Census Act.
The relief was granted with the condition that the school ensures available teachers report for duty within one week.
School challenged notice
The private school located in JP Nagar had approached the court against an April 9 communication seeking deployment of 140 staff members for census work.
The school argued that it had only 84 teachers, many of whom were already on leave or travelling abroad during vacation.
Its counsel submitted that teachers were entitled to leave and could not easily be compelled to return.
Court stresses importance of census
Justice Magadum reportedly questioned resistance to the assignment, noting that census work takes place only once in 10 or 11 years.
He observed that the exercise requires large manpower for house-to-house visits and field verification.
More details sought
The school informed the court that 12 teachers had already reported for census duty and assured efforts would be made to send more staff.
The court also directed the institution to submit a full list of teachers to authorities on the next hearing date.
Census work underway
The first phase of the census began with self-enumeration on April 1, followed by house-listing operations from April 16.