COVID-19

'Covaxin can be used for unvaccinated polling personnel'

The Manipur government should support work on the line of the ECI objectives i.e. Covid Safe Election, hassle free comfortable voting experience and maximum voter participation, special secretary (home) H Gyan Prakash said in a statement.

ByIFP Bureau

Updated 11 Jan 2022, 2:52 am

Representational Image (PHOTO: IFP)
Representational Image (PHOTO: IFP)

A meeting chaired by chief secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar was held through video conferencing to discuss Model Code of Conduct guidelines, covid vaccination of polling personnel and other election related security matters in connection with the ensuing general elections to state legislative assembly, 2022 on Sunday.

It was apprised that Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into effect immediately with the announcement of elections schedule by the ECI on Saturday, stated a statement issued by special secretary (home) H Gyan Prakash.  

All the provisions of the Model Code will apply to Manipur with regard to all candidates, political parties and the state government, it stated. The state government should support work on the line of the ECI objectives i.e. Covid Safe Election, hassle free comfortable voting experience and maximum voter participation, it mentioned.  

It was also informed that in pursuance of the declaration of the Election Code of Conduct, Special Secretary (IT), Government of Manipur has issued orders dated January 8, 2022 with direction to all the departments, undertakings/societies/agencies under Government of Manipur to remove all the references of ministers, politicians or political parties available on the departmental/agency official websites, it added.  

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It further stated that the chief secretary deliberated on the guidelines issued by the ECI and immediate action to be taken for enforcement of Model Code of Conduct as announcement to the General Elections to State Legislative Assembly of Manipur, 2022 has been announced.

Observing that Covid-19 cases have shown resurgence in many parts of India, especially in view of the new Variant of Concern Omicron, the meeting observed that the state government has been directed to accelerate the first and second dose of vaccination to all eligible citizens, it stated.  

It stated that all central/state government officials deployed for election duty will be doubly vaccinated. All election officials and employees will be treated as frontline workers and all eligible officials will be given a precautionary booster dose accordingly.

For polling personnel/persons on election duty not yet vaccinated, Covaxin may be used to enable giving both doses within 28 days, it mentioned. All polling agents and counting agents are to be fully vaccinated, it added. There is a proposal that every polling personnel not fully vaccinated would have to undergo RT-PCR testing before and after election duties, it further stated.  

On polling day, it would be vital for all voters to wear face masks mandatorily. The exact SOP for voters to wear a face mask and only remove briefly for identification purposes as issued by the Election department is followed, it added.

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It also stated that the issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer in the newspapers and other media and the misuse of official mass media during the election period for partisan coverage of political news and publicity regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power shall be scrupulously avoided.

No advertisements should be issued in electronic and print media highlighting the achievements of the government at the cost of public chequer. If any advertisement has already been released for telecast/broadcast or publication In the print media, it must be ensured that the telecast/broadcast of such ads on electronic media is stopped forthwith and that no such ad is published In any newspapers, magazines, etc., i.e. in print media, from today itself and it should be immediately withdrawn, it added.  

This ban will be effective till the completion of the election, it stated.  

There should be no physical meeting, roads how, procession, cycle/bike/vehicle rally will be allowed till January 15, it mentioned

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Tags:

election dutymanipur assembly electionsmodel code of conductmanipur general electionspolling agents

IFP Bureau

IFP Bureau

IMPHAL, Manipur

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