During the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha election, 33 poll personnel, including home guards, sanitation workers, and other staff, succumbed to heat-related conditions in Uttar Pradesh. The polling took place on Saturday in 13 constituencies.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa confirmed the deaths, stating, “The number includes home guards, sanitation workers, and other poll staff.”
In addition to the poll personnel, a voter named Ram Badan Chauhan also died. “Chauhan, who was standing at a polling booth in the Sikandarpur area of Ballia Lok Sabha constituency, fell unconscious and was rushed to a health center where doctors pronounced him dead,” Rinwa added.
CEO Rinwa has directed all District Magistrates to submit reports on the deaths of the poll personnel in their constituencies. “The district administration officials will also provide autopsy reports of the deceased personnel,” he said.
Following an order from the Election Commission, family members of the deceased poll personnel will receive Rs 15 lakh in compensation.
In another incident, a PAC Constable stationed at Ramabai Ambedkar ground in Lucknow, guarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), also died on Saturday. “Coolers and other facilities were available for officers on duty at the site,” said JCP (Law and Order) Upendra Agarwal. “The exact cause of death will be determined after a post-mortem.”
The seventh phase of polling was conducted in Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Bansgaon (SC), Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, and Robertsganj (SC). A total of 1,08,349 poll personnel were deployed for duty in this phase.
