Covid deaths during poll duty: SEC says rulebook to be changed soon

Lucknow State election commissioner (SEC) Manoj Kumar said here on Friday that the commission would modify the guidelines by early next week so that the kin of more government staff and others who died of Covid while on poll duty may get adequate compensation

Lucknow State election commissioner (SEC) Manoj Kumar said here on Friday that the commission would modify the guidelines by early next week so that the kin of more government staff and others who died of Covid while on poll duty may get adequate compensation.

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“I will soon hold a meeting with chief secretary RK Tiwari and additional chief secretary, Panchyati Raj, Manoj Kumar Singh to amend the guidelines so that kin of more government staff may benefit. This is the least we can do for the families of those who lost their lives,” said the SEC.

He said, “There are a few things that are under consideration. We will make modifications and amendments to frame new modalities. We held a few discussions over phone and once we are able to give a final shape to the amended guidelines, we will share them with the press.”

“It will not take more than three days to effect change in the state election commission guidelines. A couple of formal meetings should be enough to amend and modify the guidelines to bring a change in the rule book,” he said on telephone.

Chief secretary RK Tiwari said, “Some formal order will be issued very soon in a day or two, effecting changes in the state election commission guidelines. We are revisiting the guidelines and discussions are going on. The idea is to cover more deserving cases. After the process is complete, we will issue a formal order.”

Additional chief secretary Panchyati Raj, Manoj Kumar Singh said, “This has to be done with retrospective effect so that the next of kin of government staff who died a few days after completion of panchyat elections may get the benefit. Amendment is possible in election duty guidelines,” he said.

To note, on Thursday chief minister Yogi Adityanath said arrangements should be made to give compensation to the dependants of those on election duty who died due to corona infection.

“Since the guidelines of the state election commission were put into place when we had not even heard of corona, the commission is requested to amend the rules to provide proper help to the affected families,” the CM said.

The chief minister also said: “As the guidelines are old, of a time when Covid did not exist, so there is a need to have a relook with sympathy.”

The CM’s directive comes at a time when teachers’ associations have raised the issue that a total of 1,621 government school staff died after they contracted Covid infection during election duty.

Hindustan Times has been reporting extensively on the issue, including the need to change the guidelines. In a report, HT spoke to several experts, including former chief election commissioner of India SY Quraishi who said the state government and the state election commission (SEC) should go for a “liberal interpretation” in case of casualty of government staff deployed on election duty, especially when the country was facing the pandemic.