Online nomination, social distancing: All about EC guidelines for elections

Taking the COVID-19 pandemic into account, the Election Commission of India on Friday issued comprehensive guidelines to be followed for any upcoming elections, first of which is scheduled to be held for Bihar assembly in November.

The guidelines were formulated after considering views and suggestions received from various political parties, the EC website says. Among the guidelines are masks for everyone, thermal scanners and sanitisers at the entry points of all polling stations.

Apart from Bihar, other Assembly elections coming up in 2021 are in West Bengal, Assam Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Here are the detailed guidelines issued by the Election Commission:

FOR GENERAL PUBLIC

• Every person shall wear a face mask during every election related activity.

• At the entry of hall/ room/ premises used for election purposes:

• Thermal Scanning of all persons shall be carried out;

• Sanitizer, soap and water shall be made available.

•  Social distancing shall be maintained

• As far as practicable, large halls should be identified and utilized to ensure social distancing norms.

• Adequate number of vehicles shall be mobilized for movement of polling personnel, security personnel to ensure compliance of COVID-19 guidelines. 

HEALTH OFFICERS

Nodal Health Officer shall be designated for the State, the district and the Assembly Constituency to oversee COVID-19 related arrangements and preventive measures during the entire electoral process.

EVMs/VVPATs

First and second randomization and preparation of EVMs/VVPATs shall be done in large halls.

• Sanitizers shall be provided in sufficient quantity for use during the process.

• Gloves shall be made available to each official handling EVM/VVPAT.

TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING

• As far as practicable, training of election officials will be organized in decentralized manner at large halls.

• Training for election officials may be organized through online mode.

•  All PPTs, training materials, relevant documents, topic wise video clips, question papers for self-assessment may be uploaded in app/ portal so that any election official can access it as per requirement.

• Sufficient number of polling/counting/poll related staffs shall also be kept in reserve. displays COVlD-l9 symptoms.

NOMINATION PROCESS

• Following additional options to facilitate online mode are hereby provided:

• Nomination form will also be available online on the website of CEO/ DEO. An intending candidate may fill in it online and its print may be taken for submitting before the Returning Officer as specified in Form-1.

• Affidavit may also be filled online on the website of CEO/DEO and its print can be taken and after notarization it may be submitted along with the nomination form before the Returning Officer.

• Candidate may deposit security money through online mode at the designated platform. However, a candidate will continue to have the option of deposit in cash in the treasury.

• Candidate may have the option to seek his/her elector certification for the purpose of nomination online .

• Number of persons to accompany candidate for submission of nomination is restricted to two.

• Number of vehicles for the purposes of nomination is restricted to two.

• Returning Officer’s chamber should have sufficient space to perform the functions of nomination, scrutiny and symbol allocation following social distancing norms.

• Returning Officer should allot staggered time in advance to prospective candidates.

•  Large space for waiting for candidate(s) should be arranged.

• All steps required to be taken for the submission of nomination form and affidavit shall continue to operate as per the provisions contained in the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

•  Candidate may have the option to seek his/her elector certification for the purpose of nomination online .

ELECTION MATERIAL

• Election material kit will be prepared in a spacious and sufficiently large hall following all safety, sanitation and social distancing measures.

DISTRIBUTION AND COLLECTION OF ELECTION MATERIAL

• Large halls/spaces should be identified for distribution/collection of election material.

• As far as practicable, it should be organized in decentralized manner.

• Prior staggered time should be allocated to the polling teams for distribution/collection of election material.

NUMBER OF ELECTORS IN POLLING STATION

• There shall be maximum 1000 electors instead of 1500 electors in a polling station.

KIT FOR POLLING OFFICER

The following items shall be provided to every polling official and security personnel:

• Mask

• Sanitizer

• Face-Shield

• Gloves