Election Commission sets agenda for Covid-safe polls

A file photo of people awaiting their turn to cast their votes at a polling station in Varanasi on March 8, 2017, during the last phase of state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. Pic/AFP

While announcing dates for the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab, and Manipur, the Election Commission on Saturday also laid down a slew of Covid-19 guidelines to be followed by political parties, their respective workers, and personnel on election duty. Amid a surge in cases, the ECI has also banned rallies, roadshows and corner meetings till January 15 in the five poll-bound states. Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said the poll authority will review the situation on January 15. Laying down Covid protocols, the ECI said that all EC officials and employees are to be treated as frontline workers, and will be eligible for the "precaution dose" of the vaccine. All election duty personnel will also be required to be doubly vaccinated.

People queue outside a polling station in Kolkata in 2021. Pic/AFP

"Parties should provide masks and sanitisers to people attending the rally if they are allowed. Only five people are allowed to take part in door-to-door campaigns," the EC reiterated. It also put a ban on the holding of roadshows, padyatras by political parties and mandated that no rallies will be held till January 15. "Political parties and candidates are advised to conduct campaigns through virtual, digital mode. No nukkad sabhas or victory procession to be held after winning the elections," the EC further instructed.

Moreover, the polling time has been increased by an hour in each poll-bound state. In addition, political parties have also been instructed to hold no campaign from 8 pm to 8 am in all poll-bound states. The Election Commission had on Thursday held extensive meetings with the Union Health Secretary and experts on the ways of holding elections with Covid-19 protocol. The poll body is also looking at increasing the number of polling booths in each constituency and reducing the number of voters further from 1,200. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand has become the first poll-bound state to ban political rallies and protests amid the growing number of cases in the state. Assembly Elections in UP will be held in seven phases starting February 10. Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand will vote in a single phase on February 14. Manipur will see voting in two phases on March 3, 7.

Stakes high for BJP in state polls

The BJP's stakes are high in the Assembly polls announced on Saturday as the saffron party is in power in four states: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, while the Congress is ruling the state of Punjab. The ruling BJP is leaving no stone unturned to retain four states and win Punjab as this election will set the political narrative in the country for the next general elections.

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