Election Commission sets agenda for Covid-safe polls

Updated On: 09 January, 2022 07:51 AM IST | New Delhi | Agencies

Bans roadshows, rallies ahead of assembly elections in five states; says EC staff to be treated as frontline workers

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A file photo of people awaiting their turn to cast their votes at a polling station in Varanasi on March 8, 2017, during the last phase of state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. Pic/AFP

While announcing dates for the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab, and Manipur, the Election Commission on Saturday also laid down a slew of Covid-19 guidelines to be followed by political parties, their respective workers, and personnel on election duty. Amid a surge in cases, the ECI has also banned rallies, roadshows and corner meetings till January 15 in the five poll-bound states. Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said the poll authority will review the situation on January 15. Laying down Covid protocols, the ECI said that all EC officials and employees are to be treated as frontline workers, and will be eligible for the “precaution dose” of the vaccine. All election duty personnel will also be required to be doubly vaccinated.

People queue outside a polling station in Kolkata in 2021. Pic/AFP