Covid-19: Most teachers who died in UP may not get compensation

While the UP State Election Commission and the government battles criticism for the panchayat polls as unions claim more than 700 teachers have died due to contracting the virus allegedly on poll duty, the number of teachers considered for exgratia compensation by the state may be much less as rules consider only those employees who died “while on duty” to be eligible for compensation.

Additional chief secretary of rural development and panchayati raj, Manoj Kumar Singh said EC rules consider only those employees who died “while they were conducting their duty” for compensation.

“Therefore, even if you have contracted the virus while you were on duty, but died days later, you will not be considered for the `15 lakh compensation that the state currently gives for deaths on duty,” he told ET.


The Supreme Court on Saturday refused to postpone the three-tier panchayat elections counting to be held on May 2. This was being demanded by teacher unions that had drawn a list of 706 teachers who died of Covid-19, allegedly after being exposed to the virus while on poll duty, and anticipate violation of Covid protocol on counting day, too, despite the measures put in place by the SEC.