SHILLONG: The state’s Chief Electoral Officer, Frederick Kharkongor, said on Tuesday that in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, his focus is to conduct the Rajya Sabha poll on Friday in a free, fair and safe manner.
He said pre-COVID election procedures, protocols and processes have been revisited and efforts are on to ensure COVID-19 containment protocols to reduce person-to-person contact as far as feasible and possible.
“All COVID-19 containment arrangements in the polling station are being supervised by a senior nodal medical health officer deputed by the state government on the request of ECI to chief secretaries”, he said.
The CEO has ensured these arrangements for the hands on training held on Tuesday prior to the poll.
Pocket guides containing instructions and additional COVID-19 containment arrangements for polling officials, electors and others have been prepared and are being circulated and disseminated.
Standees, stickers and posters have also been positioned and placed at all strategic locations within the polling station.
Holding room and medical room, in case of medical eventualities, have been arranged. Contingency plans for alternative location has also been drawn up.
Shillong Municipal Board will sanitise the entire polling station premises one day prior to the poll.
Thermal scanning, gloves, masks/face shields, social distancing, staggered entry, respiratory etiquettes and COVID-19 acceptable methods of greetings are being made mandatory within the polling station venue for the poll and for all trainings, the official said.
This will be the state’s first election to be held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and all steps are being taken to ensure that necessary precautions and safeguards as per protocol are in place, Kharkongor said.
