Mumbai: The assured minimum facilities’ (AMF) at the polling centres in Maharashtra have been doubled for the next month’s Lok Sabha election, an official said Thursday.
This year, medical kits will be made available at the polling centres in case a voter suffers a health problem.
Besides, there will be sheds at polling centres, volunteers to help ‘divyang’ and pregnant women, crche for children, transportation for visually-impaired and divyang voters and queue management, the election official said.
“The Election Commission (EC) implements various measures for the voters to facilitate easy and hassle-free voting. In the last general election, it had provided seven types of facilities, including ramp, drinking water, electricity, help desk and toilets,” he said.
“This year, these facilities have been doubled with 15 various types of AMF being put in place as per the directives of the ECI issued to the state electoral officer.”
“The new facilities will include a medical kit containing pain killer medicines, bandages, ORS powder, band-aid, plasters, etc. A medical assistant will be made available at every polling centre,” he said.
In view of the summer season and scorching sun, directions have been given to set up pandals for women, senior citizens, divyang voters and children accompanying their mothers, the official said.
Volunteers will be appointed to assist the voters.
They will be drawn from NCC, NSS, and Scouts and Guides. These student volunteers will manage the queues and help divyang voters to reach the polling centres.
Directions have been issued to provide food and water to these volunteers, the official said.
Arrangement of crèche for the children accompanying their mothers will be made at each polling centre and a trained assistant will be appointed to take care of the children, he said.
Transport arrangement will be made for those visually impaired and divyang voters, who demand this facility. They will be ferried from their houses to the polling centres and back.
In case of non-availability of public transport, private vehicles should be hired to ferry such voters.
There will be three queues at each polling centre one for men, another for women and third for senior citizens and divyang voters.
“Preference will be given to senior citizens and divyang voters. One male voter will be given entry after every two women voters cast their votes,” the official said.
PTI
