Polling stations in Delhi to be no-smoking zones

The Election Commission (EC) has declared all polling stations in Delhi, which votes for the Lok Sabha election Thursday, as no-smoking zones, an official release said Wednesday.

Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Dev has declared all polling stations in the national capital as no-smoking zones and has issued instructions to all district electoral officers-cum-district magistrates to ensure prohibition of smoking at the booths.

The district electoral officers have also been asked to display signs outside informing voters about the booths being no-smoking zones, the release said.

States such as Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have also declared all polling stations as no-smoking zones.

"We have met all key officials to ensure polling stations in Delhi be made smoke-free and requested them to issue necessary instructions to all concerned to impose a complete ban on smoking inside polling booths," Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, executive director, Voluntary Health Association of India, said.

According to government data, 9.9 percent of Delhi's population smoke cigarettes, 8.7 percent are bidi smokers and 10.5 percent use smokeless tobacco.