The chief election commissioner (CEC), Rajiv Kumar, today announced the formation of the task force that will monitor the impact of the heatwave during the Lok Sabha elections running in the country.

“Number one, we want to have an assessment of the heatwave, phase by phase... second, third, fourth... the extent, you can tell us, and then on that basis, we want to facilitate all our voters, advise them, send an advisory to the voters, to the political parties, to all the stakeholders, all management of the booth, and if it is required, that is the first part,” said Kumar.

“Second part, all the medical preparation, both preparations, to combat the heat, if it is going to be different from what it was (in) earlier years,” he added.

The general elections in India are scheduled in seven phases, with the first phase concluding on Apr 19.

The CEC, during the meeting chaired by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and the Ministry of Home and Family Welfare (MoHFW), along with election commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbur Singh Sandhu, announced setting up for the task force to combat heatwave during the elections.

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