Bihar Legislative Assembly election is likely to be held in October 2020 which will elect 243 members of the Bihar Legislative Assembly. Amid this pandemic Bihar is the first state to hold election among Indian states. Since it is not safe to conduct elections like the prior years due to Covid 19, EC had asked political parties and chief electoral officers for suggestions and recommendations for an alternative.
On 21st August EC issued guidelines on how to conduct elections during Covid 19. Eight page guidelines with 15 points was issued. Only few numbers of vehicles will be allowed for the movement of polling personnel and security personnel, everyone handling the EVM should wear gloves and EVMs shall be properly sanitized,nomination form to be availed online, only two persons can accompany the candidate for the submission of Nomination form are some of the guidelines to be followed during election. Mask, sanitizer, face shield and gloves with other required PPEs will be provided to every polling official and security personnel. The guidelines also mentioned that the COVID Positive patients will be allowed to cast their vote at the last hour of the poll day.
Instead of 1500 electors this year there shall be maximum 1000 electors in a polling station as read by the guidelines issued. In the view of COVID-19 some of the polling station arrangements include proper and thorough sanitization of each and every polling station, thermal scanner to be kept in every entry point and every voter to be scanned through it, in case the temperature is shown above the set norms by MoHFW the voter shall be given a token and asked to come at the last hour of poll, 6 feet of distance shall be strictly maintained by earmarking circles in the queue, soap and water, sanitizer and masks (for voters not carrying it) shall be provided at the entry point of every polling station and before signing on the voter and pressing EVM button to vote the voter shall be asked to wear gloves by the polling personnel and agents.
Door to door campaign with only 5 persons excluding security personnel was also mentioned in the guidelines. Instead of 10 vehicles, only 5 vehicles shall be allowed for road shows. "The interval between two sets of convoy of vehicles should be half an hour instead of gap of 100 meters", read the guidelines.
In case of votes counting, there shall be only 7 tables in the counting hall. The carrying cases of CUs/VVPATs shall be sanitized and de-sealing and displaying of results shall be conducted by one official on each table. Further, the result shall be displayed on large screen to avoid gathhering of large counting agents.Seperate guidelines shall be issued for the containment zones.
The concept of virtual campaigning although wasn't agree by parties such as RJD and CPI(M). Digital campaigned launched by BJP in Bihar in July was opposed and questioned by nine parties.
Image Credit: Economic Times
