The Election Commission of India has announced that it will be mandatory for candidates and their agents to get the negative COVID report or complete vaccination before entering ballot counting centers.
Vote counting for the ongoing legislative assembly in five states and Puducherry is set to begin on May 2.
“No candidates/agents will be allowed inside the counting hall without undergoing RT-PCR/RAT test or without having 2 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,” read an Election Commission notification.
The District Election Officer will make arrangements for the RT-PCR tests of the candidates as well as counting agents before the day of final countings according to RCI notification.
“Your institution is singularly responsible for the second wave of COVID-19. Election Commission officers should be booked on murder charges probably.” It had warned ECI that it will stop counting of votes on May 2 if a proper plan to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols is not put in place.(Edited by Mohammad Haaris Beg)
Earlier Madaras High Court had observed that Election Commission was responsible for the surge of the second wave of COVID-19 in India.
