State Election Commission : Corona patients can vote via postal ballot

Bengaluru: Karnataka has a total of 3.70 lakh confirmed coronavirus cases, including 6,054 deaths. However, the State Election Commission (KSEC) on Thursday announced that patients suffering from Covid across the state will be allowed to cast their votes in the upcoming Gram Panchayat elections via postal ballots,

In a 10-page standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued prior to the elections to 5,800 Gram Panchayats in the state, KSEC stated, "Separate guidelines will be issued to enable Covid-19 positive patients to use postal ballots to cast their votes as they will be unable to exercise their rights for being under home quarantine or in a hospital."

Further, the candidates are not allowed to organise public gatherings but are permitted to hold door-to-door campaigns with the least number of people accompanying them.

Wearing face masks and gloves is mandatory for the contesting candidates. Further, the candidates are barred from using loudspeakers during their campaign.

Voters will have to undergo thermal screenings. They have to wear face masks and sanitise their hands at the polling stations on the election day. People will have to strictly follow the physical distancing norm in queues outside the polling stations.

The candidates and their followers are barred from holding processions or gatherings post- election results due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the state.