Assembly Elections 2022: Voting in Punjab, UP today, here are Covid-19 guidelines that voters should know

The Election Commission has announced various protocols for voters and election officials. EC has announced that not more than 1,000 voters are allowed to cast their votes on one polling booth.

Representational Image (Credits: PTI)

New Delhi: Voting for Punjab's 117 Assembly seats begins from 8 am till 6 pm while the third phase of voting for 59 seats in Uttar Pradesh starts at 7 am to 6 pm. 

In Uttar Pradesh, over 2.15 crore voters will decide the fate of as many as 627 candidates in the fray in this phase. The districts where votes will be cast are Hathras, Firozabad, Etah, Kasganj, Mainpuri, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Etawah, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Hamirpur and Mahoba.

On the other hand, in Punjab, over 2.14 crore voters of the state will decide the fate of 1304 candidates today. The polling will take place in 117 Assembly constituencies spread across 23 districts in the state. 

The Election Commission has announced various protocols for voters and election officials. EC directed the officials to make sure measures like sanitizers, thermal scanner, soap, masks, face shields and gloves etc are available at the polling stations. 

Other SOPs such as social distancing, token system to avoid queues and optional Postal Ballot facility will also be implemented at the polling booths. EC has also extended voting time by an hour and electors will have to wear face masks, gloves and sanitize their hands.

Check Covid-19 guidelines for assembly elections here: 

1. Voters with Covid-19 related symptoms will exercise their franchise in the last hour of polling today.

2. Voters with Covid-related symptoms will be provided PPE kits for their safety. 

3. After voting on EVM-VVPAT, the voters will need to dispose of the used glove in a dustbin and sanitize their hands before exiting from the polling station

4. If the temperature of a Covid negative voter is above the set norms, they will be given a token to come and vote at the last hour of polling.

5. No gadgets will be allowed inside polling booth.

6. Voters will have to stand in queue maintaining a 6-feet physical distance.