Child Rights panel asks EC to exempt lactating mothers from poll duty

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the stage is set for the assembly polls in the state on May 16, Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR) has directed the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and District Collector to exempt lactating mothers from election duty.“Earlier during the panchayat polls, KeSCPCR had recommended to the Election Commission (EC) to exempt lactating mothers from poll duty based on representations from mothers on poll duty. EC had given the decree to the state electoral officer to implement that. Now, even as the State Election Commission has decided to exempt such lactating mothers from election duty, it is reiterated by the child rights panel,” KeSCPCR chairperson Shoba Koshy told TOI.Such a recommendation was issued by KeSCPCR based on the National Breastfeeding policy and the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines that calls for compulsory breast-feeding for infants below two years.