Going to vote? Leave your water bottles at home

Election Commission to provide doctors, water and ORS at polling stations

You don't need to carry water bottles while going to vote in the torrid Delhi heat.

The Election Commission has barred the voters from carrying water or milk to the polling booth. However, you would not have to run the risk of getting sunstroke as the poll panel has made arrangements for the voters to quench their thirst across the 11,348 polling booths in the city.

Apart from water Oral Re-hydration Solution (ORS) packets will be provided to the voters and a team of doctors would be kept ready to attend to any medical emergencies.

The poll panel has asked the returning officers to constitute the team of doctors from the nearest hospital who would be ready to take up any case of heat stroke or if any voter need urgent medical attention.

Delhi goes to polls on May 7.

"I have directed all the returning officials to make arrangements for first aid at polling booths. Besides, ORS packets will be available at the polling stations. Tents will be set up at polling booths where voters could wait for their turn to vote," said Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer Satbir Silas Bedi.

The city recorded 44.2 degrees Celsius temperature on Saturday and the weather office has predicted no let up in the heat wave conditions.

The Election Commission believes that the weather may play a spoilsport and cause a low voter turnout.
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However, it made clear that no change in polling times would be effected. "No such move is being considered.
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The timings will remain same. The voting will start at 7 am and continue till 5 pm. We have made elaborate arrangements to beat the heat," said Bedi.

However, a strict watch would be kept over supporters of various political parties as they may try to lure voters by providing water and cold drinks. "Any such activity would be considered violation of model code of conduct," Bedi said.

Besides, voters would not be allowed to carry their own water bottles. "It is a fifteen minute affair. We will not allow voters to enter the booth with water bottles," she said.

Asked if a lactating mother would be allowed to carry milk for her child, Bedi said: We can't allow these things inside the booths. Generally, if such a woman comes to exercise her franchise someone from the family accompanies her. So, there should be no worries."