New Delhi: Election Commission of India on Friday released the guidelines for conducting general and bye-elections during the pandemic period.
In these guidelines, the Election Commission has revised the norms of the number of persons accompanying the candidate and number of vehicles at the time of nomination.
It has also issued guidelines on the door-to-door campaign but no guidelines are issued on virtual rallies and digital campaign. Opposition parties and BJP ally LJP had urged EC for lesser emphasis on virtual mode of campaign. These guidelines will be followed for Bihar assembly elections and other by-polls.
The significant changes include a restriction on the number of vehicles for roadshow and the number of people for door-to-door campaigns.
For the door-to-door campaign, a group of five persons including the candidate, excluding security personnel is allowed and for the roadshow, the convoy of vehicles should be broken after every 5 vehicles instead of 10 vehicles. The number of electors at a polling station has been reduced to 1000 which earlier used to be 1500.
For the first time candidate can deposit security money through online mode at a designated platform for nomination process along with the option of depositing cash in the treasury. The nomination form will also be available online on the website of the Chief Election Officer which can be filled online and print can be submitted before returning officer.
The nodal health officer shall be designated for state district and Assembly Constituency to oversee COVID-19 related arrangements and preventive measures during the electoral process.
During the first and second randomisation and preparation of EVM/ VVPATs at sanitizers, gloves shall be provided in sufficient quantity and process should be completed in large halls to ensure social distancing. The training of election officials can be organised through online mode.
For the third randomisation of polling staff, the timing can be increased from 24 hours to 72 hours in order to avoid large gathering of polling staff at dispatch centres.
During the campaign process, social distancing and other safety norms shall be followed. For election meetings, District Election Officer and DSP should ensure that number of attendees should not exceed the limit prescribed by State disaster management authority for public gathering.
Also, in identified grounds for the campaign, DEO should put markers to ensure social distancing. Election Commission has also instructed the political parties and candidate to ensure that all Covid-19 related requirements including thermal scanning, sanitizers, face mask are fulfilled during electoral activities.
For the election process, Election Commission has issued detailed instructions for polling stations which include thermal scanner at the entry point of every polling station, mandatory sanitization of the polling station before the poll day, helpdesk for distribution of token to voters to avoid long queues, marker to demonstrate social distancing.
Election Commission has also instructed to make waiting area for men and women separately, provision of soap and water, sanitizers at entry and exit point of the polling station, face masks for electors who are not carrying it and awareness posters in polling stations. During the process of identification, the voter will require to lower the mask. For pressing button of EVM for voting, hand gloves shall be provided to the voter as per guidelines.
During the election process, if the body temperature of the voter is above the norms issued by Health Ministry then it will be checked twice and if it remains above the norms, then the voter shall be provided with token or certificate and will be asked to come for voting at the last hour of the poll. Such voters shall be facilitated voting strictly under Covid-19 preventive measures. Every polling officer shall be provided with mask, sanitiser, face shield and gloves.
Election Commission guidelines also allow postal ballot facilities for voters who are Covid-19 positive or suspect and are in quarantine. Also voters above 80 years of age person with disability and notified essential services voters are eligible to avail postal ballot facility.
After the completion of polls, strong rooms should be sanitized.
Election Commission has also issued guidelines for the counting process. It has asked election officers to ensure that a maximum of 7 tables are allowed in counting hall and before, during and after the counting the centre should be disinfected.
Election material should be sanitized before counting and the display of result from control units can be displayed on large screens to avoid accommodation of large number of counting agents.
The State Election Commissions, based on these guidelines will prepare detailed Covid-19 related comprehensive plan taking local conditions into account.
Election Commission has not issued guidelines on the virtual campaign and digital rallies which are going to be a significant feature of elections in pandemic especially Bihar Assembly Elections for which Home Minister Amit Shah in June addressed people through the virtual rally.
The digital campaign is likely to reduce Covid-19 risk and campaign costs. Earlier RJD, CPM, LJP has opposed virtual campaigns and had urged panel for less emphasis on virtual campaign as it may disrupt the level playing field.
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