PANJIM: Against the backdrop of recent calls from various groups, including political parties like MGP, about the need for clarity on safety guidelines for the ZP polls, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday stated that the staff and COVID-19 patients, who vote, will have to all wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the ZP polls.
“PPE kits for both staff and the patients are necessary during polling,” Rane said during a media interaction on Wednesday.
Later the State Election Commission announced the COVID-19 positive patients voting in the polls would mandatorily have to wear PPE kits. However, whether the staff will wear PPE kits and whether they have been provided the same is not known.
What was even more interesting and surprising was the fact that the Health Minister was caught off guard about the decision to allow COVID patients to vote.
With just two days left for polling day, Rane said he was unaware of the State Election Commission (SEC) decision to allow COVID-19 patients to vote for Zilla Panchayat (ZP) polls. The SEC on Saturday announced that the COVID positive patients will be allowed to vote in the last hour of polling.
“I am unaware of any such decision. You please ask the people who have taken the decision,” Rane told media persons.
He said normally such decisions are taken by the State Management Committee. He added, “Neither I nor the Health Department has been consulted on this, so I am not in a position to comment.”
It may be recalled that groups have also asked what are the protocols in place for the COVID patients who have been allowed to vote from 4 to 5 pm, the last hour of polling; and if facilities such as transport to the polling booth and back etc have been put in place.
On Tuesday, MGP leader Dr Ketan Bhatikar also asked what are the guidelines for people who don’t have COVID and who may be present at the same polling booth as the COVID-19 patients and called on the SEC to explain what are the social distancing and other guidelines so as to ensure there is no spread of coronavirus amongst the people present.
