Election Commission declares all polling booths in state as tobacco-free zones

Ranchi: The Election Commission has banned all forms of tobacco in all 29,464 polling booths across state during the upcoming general elections.
A letter in this regard was issued by chief electoral officer (CEO), Jharkhand, L Khiangte, on Thursday directing all district electoral officers-cum-deputy commissioners to ensure that prohibition of not just smoking, but also consumption of chewable tobacco in all polling booths. The order was issued after state health secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni wrote a letter to the CEO on April 3 to issue directions and declare all polling booths as tobacco-free zone. Polling booths fall under the ambit of public place and use of tobacco products at a public place is banned under Section 4 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.

As per the guidelines issued by EC, “All polling booths in the state are to be declared tobacco free, so the use of bidi, guthka, and scented/chewable tobacco will be completely prohibited within the premises of every polling booth,” reads the guideline.

Presiding officers of each polling booth will be nominated as the nodal officer for ensuring tobacco-free status at their respective booths and all district tobacco control centres have been directed to supervise and monitor the campaign to sensitize the adult population on the ill-effects of tobacco usage to tackle the menace. Each polling booth will also sport a wall painting or banner which will warn on use of tobacco products.

Speaking to TOI, state nodal officer of national tobacco control program, Dr L R Pathak, said: “On election day, majority of the adult population of our country is likely to visit polling booth to cast vote. This will be an excellent opportunity to sensitise them on a single day through multi-colour banners with messages on ill-effects of tobacco at the polling booth. We will be issuing directions to the district flying squad teams for compliance of the order.”