ECI directs Chief Electoral Officers to ensure that every polling station is equipped with Assured Minimum Facilities
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) to ensure that every polling station is equipped with Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF). District Election Officers have been directed to identify a senior office as the Nodal officer to coordinate and supervise amenities at the polling stations.
The ECI directed to provide drinking water, waiting shed, toilet with water facility and arrangements for lighting at all polling stations. Sufficient number of medical Kits and first aid kits along with a village level health worker will be available for emergency situations for voters and the polling staff.
One para-medical staff member will accompany every mobile patrol unit and sector officers in the vehicles along with essential medicines. Such mobile patrol units will visit every polling station once in every hour.
The ECI said the polling stations will be set up on the ground floor with a ramp of proper gradient for the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and senior citizens electors. ECI has directed CEO and District Election Officers to make efforts to make permanent ramps and infrastructure at every polling station. It said that wheelchairs for PwD and senior citizens electors will also be provided.
The ECI has also directed that Voter Assistance Booths will be set up to assist voters to locate correctly their polling booth number and find their serial number in the electoral roll. Volunteers from NCC, NSS, Scouts and guides shall be deployed to manage voter’s queue. Age of volunteers should be less than 18 years.
There shall be three queues at the polling stations, separate for male, female and senior citizens and PwD voters.
Senior citizens, people with locomotive and visual disabilities and infirmed voters with impaired movement should be provided free pass for using public transport on the poll day. The ECI has also directed for proper arrangement of creche with trained attendant for children accompanying the electors.
