Three government employees have died due to different ailments while performing their poll duties in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday, a state election official said.
The deceased include presiding officer Vaneet Kumar who was a PGT at government senior school at Sapri in tribal Kinnaur district, home guard jawan Devi Singh who was resident of Chandera village in Arki Tehsil of Solan district and polling Officer Lol Ram who was a junior technician and was a resident of Sajla village in Manali tehsil of Kullu district.
Expressing grief over unfortunate deaths of the employees on election duty, state additional chief electoral officer Daleep Negi said payment of ex-gratia compensation to the tune of Rs 15 lakh would be made to each of the families of the deceased.
Including 25000 security personnel, about 46000 staff employees were conducting the polling in the state today to begin from 7 am.
Polling for the four seats - Shimla (SC), Hamirpur, Kangar and Mandi - of Himachal Pradesh is being held on Sunday, the seventh and final phase of voting for general elections 2019.
The last round of election includes 59 constituencies in eight states. Up for grabs are 13 seats in Punjab and an equal number in Uttar Pradesh, eight each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, four in Himachal Pradesh and three in Jharkhand and Chandigarh.
Counting of votes is scheduled for May 23.
