Special postal ballot for COVID-positive, quarantined voters: Guidelines issued

Thiruvananthapuram: Work on preparing the list of voters who are COVID-19 positive and those in quarantine to allow them to cast special postal votes in the upcoming local body elections in Kerala would start from November 29. The state government’s notification issued in this regard says that initially, the list of voters belonging to the districts where polling is scheduled in the first phase on December 8 would be prepared. The districts are Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki.

Alongside, a separate list of the voters belonging to these districts who are under treatment or in quarantine in areas where voting is scheduled in the subsequent phases also would start on November 29. These lists would be updated till 3 pm on December 7, according to the notification.

Similarly, work on lists of voters in Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad, where the second phase voting will take place on December 10, would start on December 1 and of voters in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod, where the polling date is December 14, would begin on December 5. Updation too would be done till 3 pm on the day before the polling date.

The lists would be prepared by the district-level Health Department medical officers and submitted to the Collector. Subsequently, election officers would arrange facilities for the voters to exercise their postal franchise from home. The returning officers also have to ensure that the voters in the list do not exercise their franchise at the polling booths.

COVID-19 protocols

Meanwhile, the government has appointed the Director of Health Services (DHS) as the state-level officer to implement the COVID-19 protocols during the local body polls. At the same time, the District Medical Officers (DMO) would function as the district-level officers in this regard.

Each DMO would set up a COVID-19 election cell comprising health inspectors and supervisors for the purpose. The government has also directed the DHS to submit weekly reports.

Voting procedure

The health department had advised all COVID positive and quarantined voters not to get down on the way to the polling booth. Strict action will be taken if they stop on the way.

The special polling officer and polling assistant would reach the houses of voters who have been included in the list prepared till 3 pm on the eve of polling day and offer the postal ballot. The voter has the right to accept or reject the ballot. In case the postal ballot is accepted, the voter has to sign Form 19B given by the officer. After the vote is cast confidentially, the polling officer has to certify Form 16. On receiving the ballot, the officer would issue a receipt to the voter. Indelible ink will not be applied on the finger of voters.

This voting procedure has to be completed before 6 pm on the day before the polling date. The ballot can be sent to the returning officer as registered post or personally handed over before the polling ends.

Meanwhile, the affidavit of voters undergoing treatment in government hospitals should be attested by polling officers or the respective medical officer. The ballot for voters registered in other districts would be sent to the returning officers in those areas.

Voters who test positive for COVID-19 after 3 pm on polling day eve can reach the booth directly between 5 pm and 6 pm on the day of the election. They can cast their votes after the other voters in the queue and those who received tokens exercise their franchise.