Strict measures for safe voting in Karjan by-election

COVID pandemic has changed many of the prevailing working methods, including the electoral process and voting. In this regard, in the by-elections of Karjan constituency, under the guidance of District Collector and District Election Officer, Shalini Agarwal, the District Electoral Commission has strictly followed the COVID Special Guidelines of the Election Commission of India and made available some special equipment with the help of the State Government.

Until now, an ink bottle was provided for voting and now a bottle of sanitizer would be added at the polling station. Earlier a lantern was provided for each polling station which is no longer provided. New materials like rubber socks and face shields have been added by the administration.

Under the coordination of Dr. Uday Tilawat, Nodal Officer for Health and Chief District Health Officer, all these covid special equipment were procured and kept at the District Health System’s drug store in the city which was delivered to the Election Officer of Karjan seat in various boxes today.

District Epidemiological Officer Dr. Bidla said that every voter coming to the 311 polling station will be given 1 disposable polythene hand glove. Wearing this in the right hand, the voter has to press the button of the voting machine to cast his vote. Since the ink is to be marked on the finger of the left hand, it is not to be worn on the hand. This precaution has been taken to avoid the possibility of infection due to frequent touching of the fingers of the voters by the press of the voting machine. After the polling, the voter has to take off the glove and put it in a special garbage basket, and then leave the polling station. About two lakh polythene gloves have been provided for this purpose.

All the polling personnel on duty at the polling station, security personnel, and Asha / Health workers have been provided with rubber gloves to be worn with both hands during the entire polling period. 5 thousand pairs of rubber socks have been provided for that and Polling stations will be sanitized as a special precaution on the day before polling.

In addition, a special faceguard shield will be provided to all staff, including security personnel on duty at the polling station. About 5 thousand shields have been given for that. 1000 PPE kits have also been allotted to be used in case of need as part of precaution.

Remember that every voter has to come to the polling station wearing a mandatory mask.

Voters coming to the polling station will be checked through a thermal gun about the body temperature. Health workers will sanitize the hand of the voters. 363 guns and 5,000 bottles of sanitizer have been provided for it and 311 pulse oximeter will be arranged to check the oxygen saturation. Only those who do not have a fever or other illness and have an oxygen level greater than 95 will be allowed to vote as ordinary voters. If a voter has a fever or low oxygen level, it is possible that he will be given the facility to vote in the last hour of the evening. Water and soap are requested to be provided at the polling station for hand washing if possible.

All the 1,795 officers and staff selected to serve at the polling booths have been given special training in three batches about the COVID vigilance to be taken inside the polling booths. The on-duty health workers have been imparted this training at the Primary Health Centers. While BP and Diabetes screening of polling station personnel have been done.

The constituency has polling stations in 11 villages of Karjan, Shinor as well as Vadodara gram taluka. Currently, it is necessary to wear a mask in public or wear a face cloth. That is why it is mandatory for every voter to come to the polling station wearing a mask. Without masks, no one will be allowed to enter the polling station. However, vigilance will be taken to have a few three-tiered masks at each polling station to facilitate voting if a voter comes without a mask in exceptional circumstances.