Polling booths declared tobacco-free zones

Hyderabad: In order to protect the health of people of Telangana from the health hazards of passive smoking, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Telangana, has declared all the polling stations in Telangana as no-smoking zones during the upcoming state assembly elections in Telangana. For this, the Election Commission issued orders to all District Collectors, District Electoral Officers and Returning Officers to ensure that all the polling booths under their jurisdiction should strictly maintain ‘No Smoking’ rule.  Stickers are being put up inside and outside the polling booths.

Dr A Srikanth, Secretary of Deccan Branch of Indian Dental Association, said: “I thank the Government of Telangana State and Chief Electoral Officer Dr Rajat Kumar for looking into the tobacco control issue put forward by us in joint collaboration with Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) and issuing orders to discourage tobacco abuse during the elections around the polling stations. Issuance of such a guideline/order by Election Commission would not only help bring in awareness against public smoking but also protect people from the menace of second hand smoke, a major contributor of pulmonary diseases.”

The Section (4) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply and Distribution) Act COTPA 2003 prohibits smoking in all public places. ‘Public Place’ is defined as any place to which the public has access whether as of right or not and includes all places visited by general public. Boards containing the warning “No Smoking Area- Smoking Here is an Offence” has to be displayed prominently at the entrance of public places.