Election Commission ex-gratia for employees

BHUBANESWAR: With engagement of about 4.5 lakh government employees in the twin elections in Odisha, the Election Commission of India (ECI) today announced upto Rs 20 lakh ex-gratia for any fatal incident, official sources said.

"If any official dies following a Naxal attack or is killed by anti-social activities during the election duty, the family members of the person concerned will get Rs 20 lakh as ex-gratia," an official release by the Chief Electoral Officer Odisha said.

The commission has also declared that the officials engaged for election work will be provided an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh in case of any fatal incident.

The EC announcement came after a large number of government employees expressed their unwillingness to undertake electioneering activities in Naxal infested areas, which are going to polls on April 10 in the first phase.

The pollings are scheduled to be held in the Left Wing Extremism (LEW) hit districts of Koraput, Rayagada, Bolangir, Malkangiri, Nuapada Kalahandi, Senepur, Ganjam and Gajapati. Most of the these districts are bordering Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattishgarh, sources said.

"The polling will be conducted in Maoist-hit areas under the tight security cover by engaging personnel of central para-military force," said Odisha DGP Prakash Mishra.