Jammu and Kashmir became first state to show No Smoking Area in elections booths

Jammu and Kashmir became the first state in the country to declare all election booths as No Smoking Areas in Lok Sabha elections 2014.Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir, Umang Narula issued a circular on 25th March 2014 to all returning officers and district election officers of the state.

The direction was issued in the backdrop of a request made by the J&K Voluntary Health Association. The Association made the request on the basis of Section-4 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003. The Section-4 of the Act prohibits smoking at all public places.