Congress wants longer voting hours

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Congress on Sunday, April 28, appealed to the Election Commission (EC) to increase the duration of voting due to heatwave in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, a media report said.

News24 reported that the Telangana unit of the Congress has appealed to the EC to conduct voting from 7 am to 6 pm. This comes after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) asked people not to step out from 12 noon to 4 pm as it has issued a warning in many states.

The Lok Sabha elections are being conducted in seven phases. The voting for the first two phases is over. The voting percentage has been low vis-a-vis the 2019 General Elections. The voter turnout in the second phase was 66.7%, which was less than the figures of the 2019 parliamentary polls. In the first phase, the turnout was 65.5% as compared to 69.43% in the phase one of the 2019 parliamentary polls

The heatwave is believed to have contributed to several voters not turning up at polling stations in both phases. The polling time was extended till 6 pm in many polling stations in Banka, Madhepura, Khagaria and Munger constituencies in Bihar to give some succour to voters against the hot weather.

Special arrangements were made to combat the heat, including a provision of ‘shamiana’, drinking water, medical kits and fans for the convenience of the voters. The usual polling time is 7 am to 6 pm but it varies depending on factors such as terrain, time of sunset, and security situation.

The EC issued a heat wave advisory after the IMD said the country will likely witness a severe heatwave this summer. The IMD had appealed to people to drink and carry enough water, and wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose, porous cotton clothes. It asked people to use a damp cloth to cool down and avoid strenuous activities when temperatures are high.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow