New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: India’s first set of full-time elections during the COVID-19 pandemic are set to take place for Bihar state assembly tentatively in the months of October-November. The Election Commission of India will release the set of guidelines in the next three days for the election campaign procedures and the polling methods to be adopted by political parties in the state.
Now reports have emerged that significant curbs may be put in place by the Election Commission, for the political rallies, electoral outreach, and booth management methods in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
Bihar state assembly’s tenure will end on November 29, and conventionally elections are to take place before that. Last month Election Commission had asked the political parties concerned to send their “views and suggestions so that necessary guidelines may be firmed up for the election campaign by candidates or political parties for the conduct of election during the pandemic period.”
Across the party lines, one common point which emerges is to allow the political parties the permission to hold physical rallies. According to a Hindustan Times report, BJP has asked the ECI to ensure that all the party workers, campaigners and the leaders must have the Aarogya Setu app downloaded at all times, in addition to the separate entry and exit points and proper sanitisation of the meeting place.
The report quotes the ECI officials saying that the parties will have to follow the social distancing measures else the rally will be shut down by the authorities.
“If ground has been designated for a public meeting, then the administration will have to ensure that only the number of people who can be admitted keeping social distancing in mind are permitted inside. Circles to mark the appropriate distance should be drawn.
The number of riders that can accompany the leader will also be limited,” the report quotes an EC official as saying.
What more the political parties have suggested?
Election Commission’s yet-to-be-released guidelines will become a ‘new normal’ for the elections to be conducted across the country for varied public bodies/representatives during the pandemic period.
The reports suggest that the political parties have put out various suggestions to the Election commission, which includes the suggestion to postpone the election to a more favourable date and even for allowing the physical rallies, to increasing the ceiling of poll expenditure as expenses will be increased in the wake of the pandemic.
Posted By: Talib Khan
