High-rises with booths: Kin, service sector employees can stay, say DEOs

District election officials have verbally clarified to residents of housing complexes with booths that family members, helps, drivers and other service sector employees can stay within the premises to clear confusion around an order issued last week. Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal had said, "outsiders" will be barred from staying on the premises that will host polling booths during the mandatory silence period that start from Monday. "The EC has clarified that all valid residents and those work with us can stay. But we are asking residents not to call guests on poll day unless there is emergency. We will also not allow gig workers, app cab and app-bike operators. Residents have been asked to take a drop or pick-up from complex gate," said Ashok Baid of Silver Spring, one of the complexes with booths. —Tamaghna Banerjee