CHENNAI: With summer heat tightening its grip on Tamil Nadu ahead of the Assembly elections, environmental group Poovulagin Nanbargal has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to advance polling and adopt heat-mitigation measures to protect voters, polling personnel and campaign workers from extreme weather risks
In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the organisation warned that prevailing El Nino conditions could intensify heat stress and called for polling to be completed before the second week of April, before peak summer temperatures typically set in.
Highlighting early warning signs, Poovulagin Nanbargal noted that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has already recorded temperature anomalies of 2–3°C across several parts of the State. Citing global climate projections that 2026 could be among the warmest years on record, the group cautioned that prolonged exposure during rallies and polling queues could heighten the risks of heatstroke, dehydration and other medical emergencies.
Drawing lessons from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections — during which heat-related deaths were reported in parts of the country — the organisation stressed the need for proactive planning to avoid similar incidents this time.
Among its key demands, the group sought a ban on open-air political campaigning between 11 am and 3 pm, when temperatures are usually at their highest. It also called for mandatory provision of drinking water, Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), shaded waiting areas and first-aid facilities at polling booths and campaign venues.
Additionally, Poovulagin Nanbargal recommended that the poll panel obtain daily extreme heat forecasts from the IMD and ensure adherence to heat-wave guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority and the State government.
Emphasising that safeguarding voters must remain central to the electoral process, the organisation urged the poll panel to formally integrate heat-mitigation protocols into election regulations to prevent avoidable tragedies.