Bengal elections: COVID vaccination of polling officials to begin on Feb 22

The COVID-19 inoculation process of polling officials who will be involved in the ensuing assembly elections in West Bengal will commence from February 22, a senior health official said. "All polling officials are considered as frontline workers and as per the rule, must be vaccinated before the election process starts in West Bengal. We will commence the inoculation programme for such workers from Monday," he said.

State Health Secretary N S Nigam had recently held a virtual meeting with the district magistrates and health officials in this connection, sources in the Health Department said.

All district magistrates have been directed to send the lists of polling officials who will be inoculated first, he said. Nearly 4.5 lakh polling officials will be involved in the election process in the state, a source in the Chief Election Office said. Elections to the 294-member state assembly are due in April-May.