NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has today constituted a task force to watch heat conditions before every phase of the poll. Based on the task force report, the commission will ensure the comfort and well-being of voters along with polling personnel and security forces, candidates and political party leaders.
There were 4% points of voting turnout down in phase 1 over the 2019 election which was alarming to the commission and political parties. Experts pointed out one of the major reasons behind low turnout in the first phase was soaring temperatures and heatwaves that made voters not reach the polling booth. Temperatures in Eastern, Southern and Central regions are soaring between 40°C to 46°C.
“We have decided to make an assessment of the heatwave phase by phase and will issue an advisory based on the inputs from the constituted committee,” said Rajeev Kumar, Chief Election Commission. Kumar chaired the meeting along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.