Madurai
The mandatory COVID-19 protocol went for a toss during the assembly elections in Madurai district, especially in the rural pockets. People were seen without wearing any facemasks or maintaining physical distance at the polling booths.
The polling agents at the booths said that they urged the voters to follow the guidelines. The polling agents and volunteers said that they even provided facemasks to the voters who came without wearing them.
The facemasks, sanitisers and gloves at polling stations were made available for the voters at the polling booths in order to ensure strict compliance with the COVID-19 protocols. Thermal scanners were not used in some polling booths.
Some polling booths lacked proper facilities. There was a lack of proper drinking water and sanitation at the booths. The washrooms were locked and officials posted at these booths were put to much hardship as a result.
In a particular polling booth in the Sholavandan (reserved) constituency, a polling agent said that drinking water was made available to the officials deputed to the booth and no particular arrangements were made for the public.
He agreed that sanitation had been compromised and there was a lack of proper facilities in the polling booth. When asked about the violation in COVID-19 guidelines, he said that the public must abide by the guidelines in the view of spike in COVID-19 cases.
Some of the polling booths in Tiruparankundram constituency faced similar complaints. In a particular polling booth in the Madurai Central constituency, polling officials complained there was no proper food arrangements made.
The drinking water cans were simply placed at the booths without any bubble top dispenser.
“How are we supposed to drink the water?” complained a policeman who was deputed as part of security arrangements.