Heatwaves may make Lok Sabha polls more exhausting than ever

A general election spread over two months is always a gruelling exercise, particularly during the summer season. This time it is expected to be even tougher, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting prolonged heat waves during April and May.

Heat waves are not uncommon during April and May. But the frequency and intensity of heat waves, just like other climate-induced weather events, have been on the rise, and these are now much more pronounced compared to five years ago when the last general elections were held. Election campaign, political rallies, and the voting exercise, therefore, pose a far greater risk this time.

In its latest summer forecast on Monday, IMD predicted harsher spells of heat waves that could last between 10 and 20 days instead of the usual two to four days. Above normal heatwave days were likely to occur over most parts of south peninsula, central India, east India, and plains of northwest India. This covers almost the entire country except northeast and north India.

Political activities and gatherings during this time would increase the exposure and the risk from extreme heat and humidity. Last year, 10 people had died of heat stroke during a political gathering in Mumbai in April, making it the biggest-ever heat-related death toll from any single event in India.

The same day that it announced the seven-phase general elections, the Election Commission had also circulated an advisory to all the state electoral officers on the risks from heatwave and the steps to be taken on the voting day to minimise these risks for the voters. It talked about the special arrangements to be made at every polling booth – drinking water, shade, medical kits, toilets, queue management – to deal with the