EC issues guidelines on polls during pandemic

NEW RULES

NEWDELHI: From putting a cap on the number of people involved in door-to-door campaigning to allowing the submission of nomination forms online to providing voters with gloves before they use EVMS — the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday released a set of broad guidelines for holding elections in the time of the coronavirus disease pandemic.

While standard safety measures such as social distancing and wearing of masks, among others, will be followed, ECI also said those with high temperature will have to vote in the last one hour of the polling process and that there will be fewer voters at a booth.

HT reported on Wednesday that the poll watchdog was finaltraining

FOR VOTING

All voters to be given gloves Mandatory thermal screening at polling booth

Up to 1,000 voters to be allotted for one polling booth Separate rules for those in containment zones

FOR CAMPAIGNING

No more than 5 people allowed for door-to-door campaigning

Road shows can include only up to 5 vehicles

ising the guidelines to hold the first set of elections, especially that in Bihar, in the wake of Covid-19. In the guidelines, ECI also decided to “decentralise” the of officials in charge of the polling process. This effectively means that their training will either happen online or will be conducted face-to-face in a staggered manner.

“Hand gloves shall be provided to all the electors for signing on the voter register and pressing button of EVM for voting,” the poll watchdog said, adding that face masks, sanitizers, thermal scanners, gloves, face shields and personal protective equipment kits “shall be used during the electoral process ensuring social distancing norms”.

Also, the number of tables in a counting hall has been slashed by half — from 14 to seven. The commission also said a maximum of 1,000 people will be allowed to cast their votes at a polling station, a significant reduction from the earlier figure of 1,500.