The Election Commission has put in place an elaborate plan to beat the scorching summer heat, allowing voting to commence one hour earlier than normal in the morning and making medical arrangements to tackle emergencies for its polling officers.

Polling for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state on Thursday will start at 7 am instead of 8 am, and end at 5 pm, State Chief Electoral Officer Anita Karwal said on Wednesday.

She said the 182 teams of medical and paramedical personnel would fan out across all the constituencies to treat polling officials in case they are hit by the heatwave. The teams would be posted at the dispatching and receiving centers in each of the 182 Assembly segments, she said, adding that ambulances would also be kept ready. Besides, each of the 5,200 zonal officers posted in the constituencies will get a first-aid kit containing medicines like ORS (oral rehydration solution).

“This time, we have also ensured that the voter would not have to trudge beyond two km (from his/her residence) to cast the vote,” Karwal said.