New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday (April 28) made it necessary for candidates and their agents to indicate negative RT-PCR check experiences or full vaccination experiences to enter the counting facilities, in keeping with the most recent result-day tips issued by the EC. Counting begins at 8 am on May 2.
It mentioned that no candidates or their agents will be allowed inside counting halls without a negative coronavirus report. The tips additional mentioned that candidates or their agents who’ve obtained each the doses of COVID-19 vaccine may also enter the counting corridor on May 2 when votes for Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu will be counted.
According to the EC tips, no public gathering exterior the counting venue will be allowed throughout the strategy of counting. “No candidates or agents will be allowed inside the counting hall without undergoing RT-PCR/RAT test or without having two doses of vaccination against Covid-19 and will have to produce negative RT-PCR report or RAT report or vaccination reports within 48 hours of start of counting,” the rule learn.
Election Commission makes it necessary for candidates and their agents to indicate negative RT-PCR check experiences or full vaccination experiences to enter counting centres pic.twitter.com/RtMfAhgi76
— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2021
As per the most recent tips, there ought to be a enough variety of private protecting tools (PPE) kits for counting agents and candidates. It mentioned, “The counting agents’ sitting arrangement shall be made in such a way that between 2 counting agents 1 agent shall be in PPE.”
The counting corridor, in keeping with the EC, ought to be sufficiently massive to keep up social distancing and will have correct air flow, home windows, exhaust fan as per the obtainable protocol of the State Disaster Management Authority.
The counting facilities ought to be disinfected earlier than, throughout, and after the counting, whereas sealed outer packing containers of digital voting machines and paper path machines must also be disinfected.
The variety of counting tables to be allowed in a counting corridor ought to be as per the dimensions of the corridor and conserving in view security norms prescribed for Covid- 19, the Commission mentioned.
The counting of votes of a constituency could be thought-about at 3-4 halls by appointing further assistant returning officers, the EC mentioned, including the employees and safety personnel deployed for counting will be supplied with face masks and shields, sanitisers, and gloves.
(With Agency Inputs)
