The Election Commission on Friday has issued a set of fresh guidelines for the conduct of elections in Bihar amidst the coronavirus pandemic. After considering the suggestions of political parties and chief electoral officers of the states and union territories, the poll supervisor said that only a group of five people can campaign door-to-door. It has also prohibited candidate convoy for roadshows to five vehicles, among other measures.
Bihar will be the first state where assembly elections will be held amid the pandemic. The polls are likely to be held sometime in October-November.
Here are the guidelines for voters:
* Hand gloves will be provided to voters at the time of signing the register and pressing the EVM button.
* Only two people can accompany a candidate at the time of nomination.
* If a voter, on the day of voting, shows symptoms of the virus, the person will be provided a token and asked to come back at the last hour of polling.
* Maximum 1,000 voters can vote at a polling station. Earlier the maximum number was 1500.
* All voters will be asked to wear face masks, which they will be asked to remove briefly for identification at the time of voting.
* Quarantined COVID patients will be allowed to vote at the last hour of poll under supervision of health officials, strictly following preventive measures.
* Thermal scanners will also be installed at the entry point of each polling booth to ensure that any symptomatic Covid-19 patient is not allowed to enter.
* A helpdesk will be set up for distribution of tokens to the voter on a first-come-first-serve basis to avoid queues.
* Markers will also be used to demonstrate social distancing.
* Each polling officer and security personnel will be provided a kit comprising a face mask, sanitizer, face shield, and gloves.
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Guidelines for Candidates:
* The process of filing nominations has been moved online to limit unnecessary physical contact.
* Candidates will have to make the security deposits backing their candidature through an online payment.
* Public meetings and roadshows will be allowed but subjected to containment measures issued by the MHA to restrict the spread of Covid-19.
* The number of persons who can take part in door-to-door campaigning has been limited to five, including the candidate.
How votes will be counted?
No more than seven tables will be allowed in a single counting hall which means that votes in each constituency will be counted at three-four halls by the appointment of additional Assistant Returning Officers.
Carrying cases of CUs/VVPATs will be sanitized before they are placed over counting tables. The counting centers will be disinfected before, during, and after the counting, the EC added.