Only kin to assist crippled voters in UP block chief polls

Lucknow, Feb 22 (UNI) The State Election Commission here has decided to permit only close relatives of crippled voters to act as their assistants during the block chief polls slated across Uttar Pradesh on February 27 and March one.

State Election Commission sources told UNI here only close relatives including son, daughter, father, mother, wife or husband can assist the handicapped, aged or illiterate voters in exercising their franchise during the block chief polls.

''Those who have applied for acting as assistant to their crippled relatives during voting, can do so only after the approval of the concerned Divisional Commissioner, sources added.

The polls for electing a total of 820 block chiefs will take place in 64 of the 70 districts on February 27. The same poll will be held in Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Barabanki and Ghazipur districts on March one on account of the festival of Mahashivratri falling on February 26.

The polls will be held later in Mau dsitrict, which witnessed communal flare up in November last.

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