BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Wednesday asked Covid positive candidates in panchayat polls to restrict their campaign to electronic and digital media only and strictly prohibited physical electioneering by them.
Issuing Covid guidelines for the panchayat poll to be held from February 16 to February 24 in five phases, the state government said that in case of election to panchayati raj institutions, the area of the constituency being small, the campaign is restricted to the constituency concerned only. The candidates can undertake door-to-door campaigns with minimum supporters, maintain social distance and wear face masks without fail, it added.
The state government asked the district collectors to identify multiple dispersal, receiving and counting centres in the block headquarters as per orders of the State Election Commission (SEC). While filing nominations, either the candidate or one proposer will enter the election officer’s office by following social distancing and other Covid protocols.
It said that large gatherings in the dispersal, receiving centres will have to be avoided by putting all social distancing measures in place. Stating that no public gathering will be allowed outside the counting centres during the process, the government warned that action will be taken against anybody violating instructions on Covid-19 measures as per provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.