Concern over the virus spreading further increased after political parties held mega rallies in poll-bound states. These rallies are attended by thousands (many without face masks), and social distancing is entirely absent for such events, which are understandably difficult to control.
Nonetheless, the Model Code of Conduct announcement should force a semblance of peace and sanity in the super-charged atmosphere in poll-bound Goa.
About 1.1 million electors, are poised to vote in 40 assembly constituencies even as Health workers are engaged in a desperate bid to ramp up vaccination and block the coronavirus mutants.
It seemed that the electoral system had successfully seen through the COVID fire with the polls in many States a few months ago, but the pandemic refuses to leave the election scene.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemakrponn
Despite the call for postponement of Goa elections in the wake of the rising cases, with a positivity rate of over 20 per cent, on average, the Election Commission of India today announced the polls in five states of Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur.
The date for Goa elections is February 14, and the entire polling process will be completed by March 7; the counting would be on March 10.
Not surprisingly, though, everyone knew the announcement was coming, but it did happen a couple of days late, which gave enough time for Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to quickly inaugurate a few more projects. Whether these projects will see the light of the day is another question.
Concern over the virus spreading further increased after political parties held mega rallies in poll-bound states. These rallies are attended by thousands (many without face masks), and social distancing is entirely absent for such events, which are understandably difficult to control.
Nonetheless, the Model Code of Conduct announcement should force a semblance of peace and sanity in the super-charged atmosphere in poll-bound Goa.
About 1.1 million electors, are poised to vote in 40 assembly constituencies even as Health workers are engaged in a desperate bid to ramp up vaccination and block the coronavirus mutants.
It seemed that the electoral system had successfully seen through the COVID fire with the polls in many States a few months ago, but the pandemic refuses to leave the election scene.
India is in the middle of the world’s largest vaccination drive, with a target to inoculate a critical 300 million by July. This has demanded constant scaling up of operations.
The provision of early jabs for election officials indicates the special situation under which the upcoming elections are to be conducted. It’s not surprising that COVID protocols constitute a large chunk of the ECI’s press note.
Sharp and often polarising discourses centring around development, corruption, law and order, ideology and identity, the Mhadei, Mining, casinos and local issues hold sway depending on the turf, but the virus remains the unavoidable backdrop.
However, there is surely much more in the hands of election managers than gloves and sanitisers.
If such a high-voltage contest amidst a pandemic is unprecedented, so is the aggression and bitterness amongst the major contenders, besides the history of defections in the politically-vibrant state.
The new digital media guidelines of the central government should come in immediately handy for election managers to deal with this slippery area of campaign regulation.
The full Election Commission has already visited the states and last few weeks ago to take stock of the ground situation.
