Covid guidelines for by-elections issued

Bengaluru: Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar has issued the guidelines for the November 3 bypolls to Sira and Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly segments. As per the guidelines, it is mandatory for every person to wear a face mask during election related activity.

"At the entry of hall/ room/premises used for election purpose thermal scanning of all persons shall be carried out. Sanitizer, soap, and water shall be made available. Social distancing shall be maintained and as far as possible large halls should be identified and utilized to ensure social distancing norms," the guidelines stated.

"Adequate number of vehicles shall be mobilized for movement of polling personnel, security personnel to ensure compliance of COVID-19 guidelines. Mandatory sanitization of polling station, preferably, a day before the poll," the guidelines read.

Thermal checking of voters at entry point of polling station, either by polling staff or para medical staff or Asha worker will be done. There will be help desks for distribution of token to the voters of first-come-first-serve basis so that they do not have to wait in the queue. "A circle will be drawn every two meters for voters to stand in the queue to ensure physical distance. And there will be three queues for male, female and PwD/senior citizen voters," the guidelines say.

Awareness posters on COVID-19 should be displayed at visible locations and seating arrangement in polling stations for the polling personnel and polling agents shall be made available as per the social distancing protocols.

A kit will be provided to every polling officials and security personnel (other than those where PPEs are needed) in addition to other prescribed items which include mask, sanitizer, face-shield and gloves.