New Delhi, August 21: The Election Commission on Friday announced a set of guidelines to be followed in the Bihar assembly elections and other impending by-polls conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As per guidelines issued by the EC, the postal ballot facility will be available for all electors above 80 years of age and those infected with the coronavirus. The poll panel also allowed door-to-door campaigning, rallies and public meetings in adherence to COVID-19 restrictions. Bihar Assembly Elections 2020: EC Issues Guidelines For All Polls And Bypolls To Be Held Amid COVID-19; Face Masks Made Compulsory, Option of Online Nomination Filing For Candidates.

Electors who are above 80 years of age, PwD Voters, electors marked as 'person with disabilities', the electors engaged in essential services and voters who are COVID-19 positive/suspect in quarantine (home/institutional) can opt for postal ballots in Bihar assembly elections and other by-polls, the Election Commission said. The poll agency will issue separate guidelines for all these groups of electors.

On the recommendation of the ECI, on October 22, 2019, the amendment enabling postal ballot facility to senior citizens (above the age of 80 years) and for persons with a disability, had been introduced to provide them with the choice of voting from the comforts of their homes. EC Decides Not to Extend Postal Ballot Facility For Voters Above 65 Years in Bihar Assembly Elections And By-Polls.

EC Guidelines For Door-to-Door Campaigning, Rallies And Public Meetings Ahead of Bihar Assembly Elections 2020:

Only five persons, including the candidate and excluding security personnel, will be allowed to conduct door-to-door campaigning, the Election Commission said ahead of the Bihar polls. For roadshows, the EC guidelines said, the convoy of vehicles should be broken after every 5 vehicles instead of 10. The interval between two sets of the convoy of vehicles should be half an hour instead of a gap of 100 meters. Public gathering and rallies can be held subject to adherence to extant COVID-19 guidelines.

The EC had last month asked the parties to send their "views and suggestions...so that necessary guidelines may be firmed up for the election campaign by candidates or political parties for the conduct of election during the pandemic period."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2020 05:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).