Amid Omicron surge, EC says UP Assembly elections to be held as planned

More polling booths, voting time to be extended by 1 hr, vaxxed staff at booths among measures

Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra on Thursday said all political parties in Uttar Pradesh want the Assembly elections to be held according to schedule while ensuring Covid protocol.

The CEC also asked the state to step up coronavirus vaccination.

The number of polling booths will be increased and the voting time enhanced by an hour, he said, adding polling officials will be vaccinated and those eligible will be given a booster dose.

Chandra said some parties have also expressed concern over hate speeches, paid news and “biased” officials.

On a three-day visit to Lucknow to review preparations for the elections slated to be held before mid-March, Chandra held a series of meetings with representatives of political parties as well as state and district-level officials.

The Allahabad High Court had on December 23 suggested the Union government defer the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due to a possible Omicron-led third Covid wave.

“I have been told that 86 per cent of people in the state have got the first dose and 49 per cent the second shot of Covid vaccine. We have been assured that in 15 to 20 days, all eligible people will get their first dose. We have asked for increasing vaccination,” he told reporters on the last day of his visit.

He said because of the pandemic, the number of polling booths in the state will be increased by 11,000 to maintain proper social distancing.

“Earlier, a booth was made for 1,500 voters. But keeping in mind the Covid pandemic, the number of voters in each booth has been reduced to 1,250. Because of this, the number of polling booths has increased by 11,000. So, a total of 1,74,351 polling booths will be set up,” he said.

Chandra said besides the Naxal-infested areas, polling time will also be increased by an hour across the state.

Polling officials will be vaccinated and those eligible will be given a booster dose, he said. Thermal scanners and masks will be provided at all polling booths and special care will be on maintaining social distancing and proper sanitisation, he said.

Chandra said all officers on poll duty will necessarily have to be fully vaccinated and orders have been issued to give the status of frontline workers to the officers related to the elections. Every polling booth will function in line with Covid protocol, he said.

For the first time, senior citizens above 80 years of age, people with disabilities and those affected by Covid-19 will be provided with the alternative facility of postal voting sitting at home.

If they want to come to the polling centre to cast their vote, they are welcome or else the commission will reach their doorstep, he said.