Bihar election guidelines: 7 lakh sanitisers, crores of PPE-wear to keep voters Covid-safe

After anuncement of dates for assembly elections in Bihar, Election Commission of India has laid down guidelines for free, fair and safe elections amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Among guidelines were regular mandatory protocols such as use of face masks at all times during election activity, rmal scanning of all persons to be carried out and sanitisers be made available at all locations. 

commission has revised rms and reduced number of persons accompanying candidate from 5 to 2, number of vehicles for purpose of minations restricted from 3 to 2.

Election commission has also created a facility to file mination form and related affidavit online and same shall be taken in print and submitted to RO. For first time, security amount for contesting election can be deposited online by candidate.

Keeping containment guidelines in mind, commission has limited number of persons including candidate for a door-to-door campaign to 5.

Election Commission of India in a press conference on Friday anunced  schedule for Bihar assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said that polls for 243-member legislative assembly will be held in three phases. first phase will be held on October 28, second on vember 3 and third on vember 7, while counting of votes and results declaration will be held on vember 10. Sunil Arora also informed that Model Code of Conduct will be in effect from Friday with anuncement of election dates.

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'Polling time increased by an hour'

Sunil Arora said that COVID-19 patients who are quarantined will be able to cast ir vote on last day of poll, at ir respective polling stations, under supervision of health authorities.

"This is beside option of postal facility already extended to m," he said. 

"Over 7 lakh hand sanitiser units, about 46 lakh masks, 6 lakh PPE kits, 6.7 lakh units of faces-shields, 23 lakh (pairs of) hand gloves have been arranged. For voters specifically, 7.2 crore single-use hand gloves arranged," Sunil Arora stated.

"To furr decongest polling stations and allow more free movement of voters, polling time has been increased by 1 hour. It'll be held from 7 am-6 pm, instead of 7 am - 5 pm earlier. However, this will t be applicable to Left-wing affected areas," Chief Election Commissioner said. 

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