General election health guidelines to be gazetted next week
Health guidelines are to be gazetted in the next day or two, outlining detailed procedures to be followed by candidates, election officials and people during the campaign for the August 5 parliamentary elections, at polling booths and counting centres.
The guidelines, first sent to the Election Commission by Health Services Director General Dr Anil Jasinghe, have now been updated. This led to a slight delay in the guidelines being gazette, the Sunday Times learns.
On Fr i d ay, Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya urged health authorities not to delay the issue of the gazette, promulgating election-related health regulations under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance.
Covering a wide range of areas, the guidelines set out precautions to be taken during the election campaign, the preparatory stage for the polls, procedures to be followed on the day of the poll and at counting centres.
The basic precautions include wearing of face masks, maintaining a one-metre distance between two people, washing hands with soap or sanitising hands frequently, coughing and sneezing into one’s elbow and not touching the nose, mouth and eyes.
The number of participants at an election meeting has been limited to 500 if a party leader is attending the meeting while all participants should wear face masks and maintain the one-metre physical distance.
It has been recommended that the duration of the meeting be limited to a maximum of three hours and organisers should maintain a list of names and contact numbers of those attending the meeting.
Only three persons can take part in house-to-house campaigns to distribute handbills and propaganda material.
Conducting training sessions, checking and bundling of ballot papers and casting of postal votes are other sections covered in the guidelines.
Also explained in the guidelines are detailed instructions on organising polling booths and the conduct of the polling.
Preferably, arrangements have to be made in such a manner for voters to enter from one door and exit from another.
According to the guidelines, a protective screen will be placed between voters and officials at polling booths, while the one-meter distance will be maintained between officials and voters and between polling agents. Those joining queues at polling booths should maintain the one- metre distance. There will be facilities to wash hands.
The sanitisation of voters should take place at the entrance, after receiving ballot paper and before departing from the booth.
In terms of the guidelines, election officials have been advised not to touch identity documents and polling cards. They will apply the ink on voters’ fingers without touching them.
The guidelines also explain how to conduct the poll at quarantine centres.
Counting centre etiquette also has been set out. Temperature of all staff and others entering the centre should be checked.
Counting agents should be placed one metre behind the counting officers’ desks while wearing of face masks will be strictly imposed.
The guidelines also cover the results tabulation centre, transport, meal areas, procedures in disinfecting buildings and waste disposal.