New Delhi (India), May 19 (ANI): The Election Commission has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 15 lakh each to the next of the kin of three polling officials of Himachal Pradesh who died on election duty in the Lok Sabha elections.

The deceased officials are Vineet Kumar, Devi Singh and Lot Ram who died due to different ailments. Presiding officer Vineet Kumar was a PGT at a government senior school at Sapri in tribal Kinnaur district, home guard jawan Devi Singh was a resident of Chandera village in Arki Tehsil of Solan district and polling officer Lot Ram was a junior technician and was a resident of Sajla village in Manali tehsil of Kullu district.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has expressed grief over the death of the three officials deployed on election duty for Lok Sabha elections in the state. Polling for all the four Lok Sabha seats Shimla, Hamirpur, Kangra and Mandi of Himachal Pradesh held on Sunday during the final and seventh phase of voting for the general election. (ANI)