NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India on Thursday began Covid-19 vaccination drive for its officers and staff working at Nirvachan Sadan, Delhi.
Former chief election commissioner M S Gill took the first shot of vaccine to mark the beginning of the drive.
As CEC Sunil Arora had stated at the press conference on February 26 to announce polls in 4 states and one UT, he and election commissioners Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar will get vaccinated only after all the officials and staff at Election Commission have benefitted from the vaccination programme.
All staff on poll duty for the upcoming assembly elections have been declared as ‘frontline workers’ and therefore will be vaccinated before assuming their election duties. The CEC had on Friday stated that the vaccination would encourage the poll duty officers to perform their duty without any fear of Covid.
A special camp has been set up at ECI with provision of doctors, ambulance etc.
Under the special vaccination drive, lakhs of polling officials across five states and UT will take the vaccination shots before proceeding on election duty for the upcoming assembly elections.