HAVERI: The
Election Commission (EC) will allow voters with the
coronavirus infection to exercise their franchise in the
legislative council elections on October 28. But they must wear full personal protection equipment (PPE) kits, follow other safety guidelines and arrive at the polling station in the reserved time slot of 4pm to 5pm.
The elections will decide the candidates for four council seats.
“We will allow people with
Covid-19 to vote, provided they wear full PPE gear and arrive in a dedicated ambulance in the last hour of polling,” said Amlan Aditya Biswas, the returning officer for the Karnataka West Graduates constituency and Belagavi regional commissioner. He added that health-safety guidelines would also be followed for voters from containment zones, contacts in home quarantine and people with symptoms such as cough, cold, fever and throat pain.
To avoid a situation where voters from the said categories need to be sent back, an isolation facility will be set up at the nearest health centre. Officials may also create a makeshift hospital.
Covid-19 patients and citizens aged above 80 can also cast their votes through postal ballot if they have submitted form 12D. In the West Graduates constituency, no one has applied for the postal facility.
The commissioner of the state health and family welfare department has sent guidelines to all returning officers on how to conduct council elections and assembly bypolls.
Voters with symptoms may be asked to take a rapid antigen test. If positive, they will be still allowed to vote in full PPE.
“The whole exercise should be monitored by the sector health regulator and sector officer. All polling stations will have ambulances to carry suspected or quarantined electors,” said
Haveri additional deputy commissioner S Yogishwar.