One may have to wear a face mask while queuing up outside a polling station for electing the local body representatives in less than four months. But before voting, he/she may have to remove the mask to reveal his/her face to the polling officers, besides maintaining the COVID-19 health and social distancing protocols while casting their votes.
As the much-awaited elections to the 1,200 local bodies of the State are just a few months away, those at the State Election Commission (SEC) have started thinking aloud about the new health protocols and social distancing norms to be followed while carrying out elections.
The pandemic is going to heavily influence the upcoming electoral process.
Any relaxation on wearing face masks in public places is unlikely to happen in the next few months considering the pandemic situation, and voters will have to wear it while exercising their franchise. However, they may have to remove their face masks to confirm their identity.
The identity of each voter will have to be ensured by verifying their faces with their photo identity cards and the photo-based voters’ list, which will be available with the polling officers. Hand sanitisers may have to be provided at the polling stations, besides drinking water.
“New practices, health measures and social norms may have to be followed for the conduct of the 2020 local body elections. Its a real challenge as it is for the first time that such measures are to be introduced,” V. Bhaskaran, State Election Commissioner, told The Hindu.
There may be a let up in the restrictions on social movement and health parameters that were introduced during the spread of the disease. Already, certain relaxations have been introduced and more will follow with the lifting of the countrywide lockdown. The commission is closely watching the developments to finalise its plans and take a final call on the issue, he said.
Before the introduction of any such measures, the commission will hold discussions with health and medical experts to formulate the norms. Such norms will be discussed with the representatives of political parties and the State authorities to evolve a consensus. It would be after wide consultations that such norms will be introduced, he said.
The commission is all set to release the draft voters’ list for 2020 within a week of the lifting of the lockdown. The new regimes should assume office on November 12.
