Panjim: The COVID-19 positive voters will be allowed to cast their vote wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits at the end hours of polling for the Zilla Panchayat election on December 12.
Wearing of mask, use of hand sanitizer, thermal scanning and social distancing are some of the mandatory guidelines to be followed on day of polling by voters as well as the election officers on duty.
The State Election Commission has issued guidelines instructing the preventing measures to be taken at the polling stations. “Hygiene related etiquettes to be strictly followed by all. This involves strict practice of covering one’s mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing with a tissue/handkerchief/flexed elbow and while disposing of used tissues properly in dust bins,” the guidelines specified.
As per the guidelines, the COVID-19 positive persons will be allowed to cast their vote during the last hour of the polling day i.e. between 4 pm and 5 pm.
The BLOs have been instructed to identify the COVID positive person in each polling station based on which the required number of PPE kits and hand gloves would be provided to such voters when they come to the Polling Station for voting.
The Covid positive person has to display their identity proof to the polling staff.
At present, the State has around 1,300 active COVID-19 patients. The total number of voters is 7.19 lakhs.
As per instructions, all the voters will be thermally screened for temperature at the entry of the polling station. If the temperature is above prescribed norms, the voter will have to sit in the shed for 10 minutes and the second reading will be taken. If the 2nd reading is still higher than the prescribed norms, then the voter will be asked to come for a poll at the last hour.
The place used for setting up the polling station and all the materials/items used will be properly sanitized before setting it up. Proper cleaning and frequent sanitization of the workplace, particularly of the frequently touched surfaces like tables, ballot boxes, cross mark, metal strip, etc must be ensured by the polling staff on duty.
The officers on duty will be provided with hand gloves and use of face masks to be mandatory. As per norms, spitting is strictly prohibited. On the counting day- December 14, large gatherings outside and inside the counting station will not be permitted.
All other COVID related health norms are to be followed.
