New Delhi: Taking preventive measures against the spread of coronavirus at this time of pandemic the Election Commission emphasised on the need to strictly follow Covid-19 guidelines while holding assembly elections to four states and one UT. While announcing dates for the assembly elections, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said voting will be allowed for an extra hour, adding that arrangements would be made for candidates to file nominations online. He further said that all poll officials will be vaccinated against Covid-19 before the elections.
Covid guidelines: “Vaccination drive has made the situation more conducive for elections. Everyone on poll duty will be declared frontline worker for vaccine purpose,” the election commissioner said.
He also added that door-to-door campaigning has been restricted to five persons including the candidate. However, roadshows have been permitted.
He further stated that webcasting arrangements will be in place at polling stations in critical and vulnerable areas, while adequate CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) deployment will be ensured. All critical and vulnerable areas have been identified and advance teams have been already deployed across the four states and one union territory, he added.
The EC said that the polling for five assembly elections will begin on March 27, with West Bengal conducting the maximum eight phases continuing till April 29, and votes for the polls in the four states and one union territory will be counted on May 2.
According to EC, as many as 18.68 crore voters will be eligible to cast their votes at 2.7 lakh polling stations for 824 assembly seats across Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The elections for the five assemblies are expected to witness a determined attempt by the BJP to put a strong show, including in Assam where it is already in power, as well as in West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry where the saffron party has been pushing hard in recent years.
Assembly elections: Elections in Assam will be conducted in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6, while polling in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will take place in a single phase on April 6.
Elections for the West Bengal assembly will be held in eight phases, up from seven last time, beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said while announcing the poll schedule. Voting will take place for 126 seats in Assam, 234 in Tamil Nadu, 294 in West Bengal, 140 in Kerala and 30 in Puducherry.
The second phase of West Bengal’s assembly elections has been scheduled for April 1 and will cover 30 constituencies, followed by the third phase on April 6 for 31 seats, the fourth on April 10 for 44 constituencies, the fifth on April 17 for 45 seats, sixth for 43 seats on April 22, seventh phase on April 26 for 36 seats and last and eighth phase on April 29 for 35 seats, Arora said.
Special observers for West Bengal: The Election Commission will appoint two special observers for West Bengal and a third can also be sent if required, Arora said in response to queries on whether enough arrangements are in place for the polls in the state, where many have been raising questions about political violence. Arora also said everyone on election duty for the upcoming polls will be vaccinated against COVID-19 before polling day.