The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday announced guidelines for Bihar Assembly elections and by-polls amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The ECI, in its guidelines, has for the first time allowed candidates to file their nominations online and has made it mandatory for registered voters to wear hand gloves and face masks before heading over to the EVM machines to cast their votes.
As per the general guidelines, all persons need to adhere to the following:
1) Every person shall wear face mask during every election-related activity.
2) At the entry of hall/ room/ premises used for election purposes: (a) thermal scanning of all persons shall be carried out (b) sanitizer, soap and water shall be made available.
3) Social distancing shall be maintained as per the extant COVID-19 guidelines of the state government and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
4) As far as practicable, large halls should be identified and utilized to ensure social distancing norms.
5) Adequate number of vehicles shall be mobilized for movement of polling personnel, security personnel to ensure compliance of COVID-19 guidelines.
At the polling stations, following key guidelines will be required to be followed:
1) Mandatory sanitization of polling station, preferably, a day before the poll.
2) Thermal scanner at the entry point of every polling station location.
3) Thermal checking of voters at entry point of polling station location/polling station, either by polling staff or para-medical staff or Asha worker.
4) If temperature is above the set norms of MoHFW at first reading, then it will be checked twice and if it remains, then the elector shall be provided with token/certificate and will be asked to come for voting at the last hour of poll. At the last hour of poll, such electors shall be facilitated voting, strictly following COVID-19 related preventive measures.
5) Wherever possible, Booth App shall be used at the polling station.
6) Soap and Water shall be provided at the entry/exit point of every polling station.
7) Sanitizer should be provided at the entry/exit point of every polling station as well as kept inside the booth at appropriate locations with clear direction for the use by voters.
8) Face Masks in reserves for those electors who are not carrying the mask will be kept.
9) During the process of identification of voter, the voters will require to lower the facemask for identification, when required.
10) COVID-19 patients who are quarantined will be allowed to cast their vote at the last hour of the poll day at their respective Polling Stations, under the supervision of health authorities, strictly following COVID-19 related preventive measures. Sector Magistrates shall coordinate this in their allocated polling stations.
