BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of the panchayat elections scheduled next month, the State Election Commission (SEC) on Tuesday revised the ex-gratia compensation for polling personnel.
According to a notification issued by the SEC, compensation of Rs 30 lakh will be provided to families of polling personnel who die due to any violent act of extremism or anti-social elements in road mines, bomb blasts and armed attacks. In case of death due to other reasons, the compensation amount will be Rs 15 lakh.
Besides, those who die due to COVID-19 will be compensated with Rs 30 lakh and cashless medical treatment facility would be provided to those infected with the virus while on poll duty. A certificate specifying the reason for death has to be issued by the medical officer and countersigned by the chief district medical officer (CDMO) concerned specifically stating COVID-19 to be the cause of death.
Compensation for permanent disability, loss of limb or eyesight, caused due to any violent act of extremism or anti-social elements during poll duty has been fixed at Rs 15 lakh. Similarly, persons with permanent disability due to accident or any other cause in the course of election duty will be provided Rs 7.5 lakh.
A compensation of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to persons sustaining grievous injuries or multiple fractures caused by accident or any other cause during poll duty. The notification said that a person is to be treated on poll duty as soon as he/she leaves residence to report to any election related duty including training and returns to his/her residence after completion of work.
Any mishap which takes place during this period will be treated as having occurred on election duty subject to the condition that there should be a causal connection between the occurrence of death/injury and the election duty, it added.
BJD demands removal of Central government posters
BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Tuesday demanded that all hoardings, banners and posters found at public places promoting Central government schemes should be removed immediately.
In a memorandum submitted to State Election Commissioner (SEC) AP Padhi, the BJD alleged that a large number of hoardings, banners, posters can still be found at petrol pumps, highways, railway stations, airports, other Central government installations promoting the Centre’s schemes in violation of the model code of conduct.
The BJD urged the SEC to take necessary steps for the removal of all such hoardings, banners and posters.