Mumbai, June 27 -- Government and aided schools across Maharashtra are reporting staff shortages after teachers were directed to work full-time on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, prompting concerns over the impact on classroom teaching. Teachers began SIR training on June 20, following which several Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) instructed school principals to relieve them from regular classroom duties until the voter roll revision exercise is completed. Teachers, parents and management of schools say the move has disrupted classes, particularly in schools already facing shortages of teaching staff. A teacher at a BMC school said just one teacher is currently handling 178 students from Classes I to VIII after four colleagues were assigned census and election-related work. "Earlier, teachers working as Booth Level Officers used to attend classes first and then complete election work. Now they are being asked to work full-time outside the school, making it impossible to manage teaching," the teacher said. A teacher from Nashik, the sole staff member at the school, said there was no one left to teach students during the period of deployment. "I do not know who will teach the children while I am away," the teacher from Nashik said. Parents have also raised concerns. Sagar Sarode, whose two children study in a BMC school in Mahim, said two teachers from the school have been assigned SIR work. "This is affecting our children's studies," he said. Teacher MLC J.M. Abhyankar has urged district collectors to reconsider the decision, saying prolonged deployment of teachers for election work goes against the spirit of the Right to Education Act. "The government should reconsider the order and allow teachers to continue classroom teaching while carrying out election duties," Abhyankar said. Abhyankar said. Meanwhile, teachers have formed a BLO Duty Grievance Redressal Forum in Mumbai and, along with school management associations and teachers' unions, have moved the high court challenging BLO duties. The Maharashtra Progressive Teachers Association has also urged the state government to review the decision, claiming that between 50% and 90% of teachers in several schools have been assigned election work. "The government asks teachers to improve learning, implement the National Education Policy and focus on students. At the same time, the same teachers are being sent for non-academic work. If SIR is the priority, the government should say so. If education is the priority, teachers should remain in classrooms," Association president Tanaji Kamble said....