Election Commission has directed all state governments to provide an ex-gratia payment of a minimum of 10 lakh rupees to the next of kin of poll officials who die in the line of duty.

The amount will be 20 lakh rupees if the poll official is
killed in a violent incident such as ambush, landmine blast or bomb blast.

In case any official deployed for election duty suffers permanent disability, including severing of limb or loss of eyesight, he or she will be provided with a minimum ex-gratia of five lakh rupees.

In its directive to Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers, the EC said, if the disability is a result of terror strike or violent incident, the minimum amount would be 10 lakh rupees.

The EC revised the slabs of ex-gratia payment following demands in this regard.

The poll body also reiterated its earlier order that video conferencing between officials and Union and state ministers will remain suspended during the period of the Model Code.