Odisha: SEC Announces Rs 30 Lakh Ex-gratia for Covid-19 Deaths during Panchayat Poll Duty

Bhubaneswar: As Covid-19 situation continues to prevail in Odisha, the State Election Commission (SEC) has announced Rs 30 lakh ex-gratia for Covid-19 death of any person engaged in Panchayat election duty in the state.

In an order, the SEC said the ex-gratia will be applicable to all civil persons including government (both Centre and State), corporation (including Central and State PSU), local bodies, drivers, helpers of government & private vehicles and police personnel including Central Police Forces (CPF) engaged by the competent authority for election related duty in the State during elections to Panchayats, 2022 and thereafter including by-elections.

The amount will be paid on a condition that the death certificate specifying the reason for it has to be issued by the medical officer and countersigned by the chief district medical officer concerned certifying specifically that the death is caused due to Covid-19.

The Commission said Covid-19 infected officials will get a cashless medical treatment facility.

The duty period is to be counted from the date and time of reporting for election duty before the election officer and ends with being relieved by the election officer from election duty.

Similarly, the SEC has revised the compensation amount for the officials in case of death or major injury while on Panchayat election duty.

The Commission order said a compensation Rs 30 lakh will be provided to families of polling personnel who die due to any violent act of extremist or anti-social elements in road mines, bomb blasts, armed attacks, etc. In case of death due to other reasons, the compensation amount will be Rs 15 lakh.

Earlier, the compensation amount was Rs 20 lakh for category-A employees and Rs 10 lakh for category-B employees in case of death due to violent acts. The amount for other deaths was Rs 10 lakh and Rs 5 lakh for the category A and B employees, respectively.

As per the revised order, in case of permanent disability like loss limb, eye sight, etc caused due to any violent acts, the amount of compensation would be Rs 15 lakh.

On permanent disability whether by accident or by any other means arising out of and in course of election duty, the ex-gratia amount would be Rs 7.50 lakh.

The SEC has also made provision to help the severely injured employees during the polling time. The severely injured employees in any accident will get a maximum Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia.

The accidental compensation covers the period the employees begin journey from their house for the poll task including training till they are back home after being officially relieved.

(IANS)