COVID-19 patients and those quarantined in Kerala can exercise their franchise through postal votes in the forthcoming elections to local bodies. The voting time has also been increased and the polling stations will remain open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the voters to exercise their franchise.
The sweeping changes to allow postal ballots and increasing the voting time had been made through the Kerala Panchayat Raj (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2020 promulgated by the Governor, Arif Mohammed Khan based on the recommendations made by the Cabinet last month.
The ordinance, that amends temporarily the Kerala Panchayati Raj Act 1994, has come into effect. Amendments had been made to Section 70 of the Principal Act for increasing the voting time by one hour from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a new section inserted after Section 74 to allow postal ballot to those affected by the pandemic and quarantined.
The Cabinet decision was based on the proposal of the State Election Commission to the government to allow postal ballots or proxy votes for COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine. However, there was stiff opposition from the major political parties in the State to the proxy voting.
The elections are for 15,962 wards in 941 Grama Panchayats, 2,080 wards in 152 Block panchayats, 331 wards in 14 District Panchayats, 3,078 wards in 86 Municipalities and 414 wards in the six Municipal Corporations.
Training had already been provided to the master trainers by the State Election Commission. These master trainers will impart training to other officials. First level checking of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will commence soon as the officials from Hyderabad have reached all the districts and are in quarantine as per COVID-19 protocol. Draw of lots of reservation wards is on.
Although the State Election Commissioner convened an all party meeting on the protocols to be followed, official sources said elections to the local bodies are unlikely before November 11 in view of the spurt in the COVID-19 positive cases.
