The State Election Commission has issued detailed guidelines in connection with the local body polls to be held in December.

In view of the continuing spread of COVID-19 infection in the state, specific guidelines have been issued regarding the precautions to be taken by the political parties, candidates and officials, guidelines regarding the public meetings of candidates.

Garlands, bouquets, currency note garlands, and shawls are not to be given to the candidates at the reception meetings. Such receptions are strictly prohibited.

The election commission had discussed the draft polls guidelines at the meeting of representatives of political parties on September 18.

The guidelines have been finalised on the basis of the discussions and decisions taken at the all-party meeting.

The elections are to be held this year in 21,865 wards of 941 grama panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 86 municipalities and 6 municipal corporations.

The training for officials as part of the elections and first level checking of  Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is progressing at the moment.

The final electoral rolls were published on October 1.

The State Election Commission had given people another chance to see their names added to the voters' list. The deadline for this was October 31. The Commission is in the process of adding the new names to the list. A final list will be issued soon.

The following guidelines have been issued for the local body polls by the State Election Commission in view of the continuing spread of COVID-19 infection in the state. They have to be complied with strictly by candidates, political parties, officials and all others associated with the elections.

Training for the election officials

• The State Election Commission will deploy about 2 lakh employees for conducting the local body’ polls. Returning officers, assistant returning officers, assistants will be given two days of training while those deputed for polling and counting duties will have one-day training.

• The training for panchayats are to be held at the block level and for municipalities at the district level respectively under separate batches. A batch should comprise a maximum of 40 officials. Spacious halls with proper ventilation should be used as training centres.

• Air-conditioned halls should be avoided for training programmes. Furniture and halls should be properly sanitized and disinfected before being used for training purposes.

• Sanitizers should be provided inside the hall while soap water should be made available outside. 

• Sanitizers should be used while entering the hall and coming out of the hall.

• Prior to the training programme, teams of Community Health Centres and Primary Health Centres should put in place facilities for checking the body temperature of people coming for the training.

• All persons taking part in the training should compulsorily wear masks during training sessions and intervals. Seating arrangements in the training hall should be done in such a manner that two-meter distance is maintained from each other. 

• A separate list containing the names and other details of officials who are in containment zones or in quarantine, should be prepared and they should be imparted separate training.

District level meeting of political parties

• The collectors will convene the district level meetings of the representatives of political parties as directed by the State Election Commission.

• Each political party will have one representative each and a maximum of 40 persons will be permitted to take part in the meeting.

• The meeting of the representatives of political parties should be held in spacious halls with proper ventilation. 

• Seats should be arranged keeping in mind the mandatory stipulation for 2 meters distance from each other.

• Masks will be mandatory for those attending the meeting. The representatives will have to mandatorily use sanitizers before entering the hall.

EVM First Level Checking (FLC)

• The Engineers of Electronics Corporation of India will examine the functioning of all Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at the district level prior to the local body polls. 

• Since the engineers would be coming from outside Kerala, they need to comply with the health department’s guidelines and go under quarantine. After a week, Covid test will be conducted and the First Level Checking (FLC) process will begin after getting specific directions from the health department.

• About one month time will be needed for carrying out FLC in each district. The halls should be arranged keeping in mind the work that is associated with FLC. 

• Halls for FLC should be arranged after ensuring proper space, facilities and ventilation.

• During the process of FLC, each political party can send one of their representatives. A maximum of 30 persons will be allowed in each FLC hall.

• Soap, water should be kept outside FLC Centres.

• Social distancing norms should be strictly followed in FLC centres. Mask and sanitizers are mandatory in the centres.

Filing of Nominations

• Nomination form, 2A form will be uploaded on the State Election Commission website. The nomination form, 2 A form should be filled in time and submitted before the returning officer within the prescribed time.

• Special halls should be arranged to receive the nomination papers and only representative candidates each will be allowed in the hall at a time. 

• Not more than three persons including the candidate and those proposing his name, should assemble for submitting the nominations.

• Those entering the hall for nomination should wash their hands with soap and also use sanitizers.

• While handing over nomination papers one must maintain social distance, use masks and sanitizers.

• If required the candidate should be given a time slot in advance for submitting the nomination.

• In the event of more than one candidate coming for filing nomination, separate waiting areas should be arranged for them where social distance norms should be strictly complied with.

• The returning officer and the assistant returning officer should mandatorily wear a face mask, face shield, gloves while receiving nomination papers from the candidates. 

• After receiving the nomination papers from each candidate, the returning officer/ assistant returning officer should use sanitizer.

• The challan or receipt of security deposit submitted in treasury or local body should be produced.

• The candidate coming to file nomination is allowed to use just one vehicle.

• Groups of people, procession, vehicle jatha are not allowed to accompany the candidate while coming for nomination.

• Those from the containment zone or under quarantine should give prior notice before coming to submit nomination papers. The returning officers will allot separate time for such persons and take required precautionary measures.

• In case if the candidate is COVID positive or under quarantine as per the instructions of the health department, nomination papers are to be submitted through the proposer and the oath is to be read out on behalf of the candidate and put signatures before the official designated by State Election Commission. Subsequently, produce the document related to the oath before the returning officer.

• All legal conditions laid down for submitting nomination papers have to be mandatorily complied with.

Scrutiny

The scrutiny of nomination papers will be carried out under the returning officer.

• Spacious halls with proper ventilation should be used for carrying out scrutiny of nomination papers. The hall should be disinfected in advance. 

• During scrutiny of nomination papers, only candidates of each ward, proposer and agent will be allowed entry. A maximum of 30 persons will be permitted.

• The seating arrangements for candidates and others should be arranged complying with social distancing norms.

• During scrutiny the returning officer, the assistant returning officer should mandatorily wear masks, gloves, face shield and use sanitizer.

• All conditions for scrutiny should be complied with legally.

Meetings of candidates

• Returning officers should convene meetings of candidates, political parties to explain the election-related directions and model code of conduct.

• Candidates of more than one ward will be called for such meetings and a maximum of 30 persons will be allowed at a time.

• Spacious halls with proper ventilation should be arranged for this purpose.

• Seating arrangements should be made in strict compliance with social distancing norms.

• Use of mask, sanitizers are mandatory.

Campaigning activities of candidates

• Only five persons including candidates will be permitted for house visits as part of the election campaign.

• The candidates should conduct house visits strictly complying with COVID protocol.

• A maximum of three vehicles will be allowed for roadshow and vehicle rally.

• Jathas, mass gathering, grand finale (kottikalasham)  should be avoided in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

• Public meetings, family get-togethers should be organised strictly complying with COVID safety norms. Prior permission from the police is required for organizing public meetings.

• Pamphlets, hand bills and notices should be used in a limited manner for election campaigns. Social media should be used for electioneering.

• Candidates should include messages for voters to strictly use masks, sanitizers’ part of their campaign programme.

• No reception meetings of felicitation programmes will be permitted with garlands, currency note garlands, shawl and other articles. 

• In the event of a candidate testing COVID positive or asked to go into quarantine by the health department, he/she should immediately move out of the campaigning programme, avoiding contact with the public. The candidate will be allowed to resume campaigning only after testing negative and on the directions of the health department.

Candidate Setting

• Candidate setting in Electronic Voting Machines will be carried out under the leadership of returning officers.

• Special halls with proper ventilation should be arranged for the candidate setting. Each local body should be earmarked a separate hall.

• Candidate setting halls should be disinfected the previous day.

• One person for each candidate will be permitted to enter the hall. A maximum of 30 persons will be allowed. Seating arrangements should be made strictly complying with the social distancing norms.

• Mask, gloves, sanitizers are mandatory inside the hall. Soap and water should be kept outside the hall.

Distribution of poll material

Poll material should be distributed on the eve of voting and these should be collected soon after the completion of the voting process and kept in the safe custody of the strong room. For panchayat, the distribution and collection centres will be at the block level. For corporations and municipalities, the distribution and collection centres will be in the same institutions.

• The poll material collection centres should be disinfected on the previous day and on the polling day.

• The material for each booth should be packed separately at least a week earlier and kept in safe custody. 

• The officials engaged in packing election material should mandatorily use gloves, masks and sanitizers.

• Those entrusted with the distribution and collection of poll material should use masks, sanitizers and gloves.

• Separate time should be fixed for distribution of pol material to panchayats under one block.

• Poll officials should report at their respective distribution centre on the eve of polling day and enter the vehicles which have been deployed to take them to their respective polling stations.

• The kit containing poll material should be placed in the vehicles deployed for transporting the officials.

• Polling officials, poll material will be brought to the designated polling stations. A bus each for four booths  - 21 persons and poll material).

• After polling they will be taken to the collection centre in the same way.

Polling booths

• All polling stations should be disinfected the previous day.

• Each polling station will have 4 poll officials, one attender, one police personnel. The booth agents of candidates should not be more than 10.

• The seating arrangement for polling agents will be strictly complying with social distancing norms.

• Poll officials should stay in the polling station from the previous day.

• Water, soap will be kept outside the polling station and sanitizer inside the hall.

• Space should be clearly earmarked for voters standing in the queue outside polling stations so that they comply with social distancing norms.

• Separate queues should be arranged for male and female. A queue is not mandatory for elderly, differently-abled and patients.

• The designated place earmarked outside the polling stations for supporters of candidates to give slips, should also have soap, water and sanitizers. Not more than two persons are allowed for slip distribution. Those distributing slips should wear masks and gloves.

Polling

• Polling officials should use face shield, mask, sanitizer and gloves mandatorily. Poling agents’ should wear masks and use sanitizers.

• Voters while entering and coming out of the polling booth should use sanitizer.

• The voters entering the polling booth should produce identity proof before the poll officials.

• Voters should wear a mask and if required remove it only at the time of identification.

• Voters should put their signature on the register and indelible ink should be applied on their finger.

• Ink should be applied on the voter's finger with caution.

• For three-tier panchayats three votes are to be cast and for municipality and corporation one each.

• A maximum of three persons will be permitted inside the booth and strictly complying with social distancing norms.

• Postal votes will be allowed for those tested positive for Covid - 19 infection and those under quarantine. Postal votes also for people on election duty.

• Those distributing and collecting postal votes should mandatorily wear gloves, masks and use sanitizer.

• After counting of votes the documents should be placed in special packets returned at the collection centres.

Counting of Votes

• All counting centres should be disinfected the previous day.

• Counting should be held in the respective distribution and collection centres.

• Counting officers should mandatorily wear mask, gloves.

• They should use sanitizers while entering and exiting from the counting centres.

• Candidates and counting agents should wear masks and use sanitizers.

• Counting tables should be arranged strictly complying with social distancing norms.

• Victory processions will be allowed strictly complying with Covid 19 guidelines and protocol.

Awareness programme

• State Election Commission will organize awareness programmes in connection with holding the elections in compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols. These awareness programmes will be for voters, political parties, candidates.

• Advertisements and propaganda clips for creating awareness will be aired in TV channels, conveyed through social media including WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, FM Radio. 

• Posters regarding the COVID-19 safety protocol, precautions will be put outside the polling stations. Handbills, booklets and pamphlets containing the do’s and don’ts will also be distributed.