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

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

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

The commission has revised the norms and reduced the number of persons accompanying the candidate from 5 to 2, the number of vehicles for the purpose of nominations restricted from 3 to 2.

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

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

The Election Commission of India in a press conference on Friday announced the schedule for the Bihar assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said that the polls for the 243-member legislative assembly will be held in three phases. The first phase will be held on October 28, second on November 3 and the third on November 7, while the counting of votes and results declaration will be held on November 10. Sunil Arora also informed that the Model Code of Conduct will be in effect from Friday with the announcement 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 their vote on the last day of poll, at their respective polling stations, under the supervision of health authorities.

"This is beside the option of the postal facility already extended to them," 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 further 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 not be applicable to Left-wing affected areas," the Chief Election Commissioner said. 

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