The district-level training for returning officers, assistant returning officers, and other senior officials in charge of the election has begun in Kozhikode. The first round of the two-day training opened by District Collector Seeram Sambasiva Rao will draw to a close on Friday.
Officials said that one of the major subjects explained during the first day’s session was the mandatory COVID-19 protocol to be followed during election in each booth.
Apart from ensuring a smooth election, the officials will be responsible for overseeing proper compliance by voters with the COVID-19 protocol.
From the beginning of the submission of nominations and their scrutiny, they will be accountable for making necessary arrangements in accordance with the safety guidelines.
To avoid rush, they will be allowed to fix a time schedule for each candidate to submit nomination papers. The number of persons accompanying the candidate will be limited at the time of filing nomination papers. The procedure will be almost the same even during the scrutiny of documents.
The returning officers and assistant returning officers were also briefed about the procedures to be followed in case of confirming COVID-19 for any candidate. On such occasions, they will be allowed to complete the election formalities through a proposer on behalf of the candidate.
The master trainers who attended the district-level session will be leading the constituency-level training sessions for other poll officials.
Special squads
Besides familiarising themselves with the general instructions, the officials attended sessions on candidate setting in electronic voting machines, distribution of poll materials, polling booth management, polling process, counting of votes and related awareness programmes. There will be special squads to ensure the enforcement of the protocol considering public safety during electioneering and polling.