Ensure compliance of COVID-19 guidelines during Rajasthan gram panchayat polls: Mehra

The state election commissioner also directed all the district magistrates to publicise the guidelines to be adopted at the time of voting through local media. Mehra asked the district election officers to constitute polling parties, training and counting system, mark the location for preparing EVMs, appointment and training of zonal magistrates and area magistrates.

Elections in 3,847 gram panchayats of Rajasthan should be conducted while ensuring compliance of COVID-19 guidelines issued by the government, state Election Commissioner P S Mehra said on Wednesday. Mehra made the remarks while reviewing election preparations along with 26 district collectors (district election officers), the commissioner of police and superintendents through video conferencing.

He said this time, the elections are more challenging due to the coronavirus crisis. In such a situation, elections have to be conducted while following all health protocols. He has directed officials to conduct mock drills at polling stations.

"From the training of personnel to counting, we will have to make masks, sanitizers available in sufficient quantity and get the polling process done while maintaining social distance," Mehra said. The state election commissioner also directed all the district magistrates to publicise the guidelines to be adopted at the time of voting through local media.

Mehra asked the district election officers to constitute polling parties, training and counting system, mark the location for preparing EVMs, appointment and training of zonal magistrates and area magistrates.