JAMMU: State Election Commissioner KK Sharma on Thursday said that the necessary Covid protocols have been put in place for ensuring safe District Development Council (DDC) polls.
He was interacting with Deputy Commissioners of all districts of Jammu and Kashmir through video conferencing which was also attended by the concerned Chief Medical Officers and senior officers of State Election Commission.
Sharma directed officers to ensure fool proof mechanism for ensuring strict adherence to the already set Covid-19 protocols so that the voters do not feel any hindrance in coming out to vote.
He said that the health department and the district administration should synergize their efforts to ensure successful and safe conduct of the upcoming DDC elections, an official handout said.
“The meeting was told that fool proof method mechanism has been devised for the postal ballots from absentee voters especially Covid-19 patients in home / institutional isolations and quarantine,” it said.
It was also given out that sanitization of polling stations and counting centers would be done before the polling date and afterwards as well.
The meeting was also told that availability of all protective and sanitization equipment like alcohol based sanitizers, non-contact thermometers, facemasks , face shields and PPE kits have been ensured at the polling stations as well as for the staff and voters.
It was also given out that necessary IEC activities like publishing of pamphlets and other related material with relation to holding of safe elections has also been done.

KR Desk