MUMBAI, June 20 -- The Bombay High Court on Friday assured unaided schools and their teachers that they "need not be apprehensive" about criminal proceedings initiated against some teachers for failing to report for duties related to the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad was hearing a petition challenging the deployment of teachers of private undecided schools across Maharashtra as booth level officers (BLOs) for SIR-related duties. The petition questioned the notices sent by electoral officers to around 320 teachers, directing them to undertake SIR-related work. It said that electoral officers didn't have the power to appoint staff of private unaided schools as BLOs, and sought directions from the court to set aside the "illegal" requisition orders and show-cause notices issued to them. Addressing the ECI, the petitioners said that the appointment orders and show-cause notices were contrary to instructions issued by it on June 5, 2025, which restricted appointment of BLOs to staff of government and semi-government organisations, and permitted appointment of others only in exceptional circumstances and with prior approval of the ECI. During the hearing on Friday, the petitioners informed the court that around 320 teachers had been directed to report for BLO duties and FIRs had been registered against nine of them for non-compliance of service. Senior advocate Ashutosh Kumbhakoni and advocate Akshay Shinde, appearing for the election authorities, submitted that 120 teachers had already joined duty. The bench assured the petitioners that they "need not be worried" about the FIRs and directed the ECI to submit its reply by July 2. The next hearing is scheduled on July 16....