Gujarat government staff on poll duty to get cashless health cover

The health department of Gujarat government has issued a resolution on March 7 that any staff been engaged for election duty will get cashless health cover. The staff, in case of any illness or injury sustained during poll duties, will get all medical facilities for free at government or private hospitals.

The chief electoral officer(CEO) in Gujarat Dr S Murali Krishna said, "The cashless health cover has been provided to staff engaged in poll duties, as per the guidelines by the election commission. This facility will be available to all the government employees from administrative services, police, drivers, cleaners and other."

"Besides this, the service has been extended for the staff like drivers of private vehicles been requested for election duty, videographers and other. All these staffs will get the medical treatment at government hospitals and dispensaries, medical colleges and hospitals running on government grants. If it is required to get the treatment from a private hospital in emergency cases, the same also will be available to all the staff after permission by concerned district election officer(collector)," the CEO added. The election commission has also facilitated Divyang voters. Special voters photo identity cards, voters slips, guide, and ballot papers printed in Braille script for visually impaired voters. Besides this, the Divyan voters will not have to wait in queue for their turn on polling days. Special parking facilities for vehicles and protruding ramps also will be available for them. If informed to the polling staff in advance, they will get the transportation facility.

The CEO also informed that he received 22 complaints of breach of model code of conduct so far and all had been disposed of. Whereas the static surveillance teams and flying squad keeping watch on transportation of cash received Rs 1.40 crore during their checks across the state. Out of this, Rs. 44.61 lakh were returned to the owners after documents were produced while Rs. 95.43 lakh had been seized.

As many as 39, 915 weapons have been submitted by possessee before the police authorities out of 56,890 licenced weapons in the state. The concerned authorities also booked 6,750 cases of breach of prohibition law, and 209 cases under PASA were registered after the model code of conduct came to force in the state.