Punjab`s Chief Electoral Officer S Raju tests positive for COVID ahead of polls

New Delhi: Ahead of Assembly polls, Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer Dr S Karuna Raju has been tested positive for COVID-19, he announced on Sunday (January 9).

The news came just a day after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the Assembly Election in five states, including Punjab.

Punjab elections to 117 Legislative constituencies would be held on February 14 in a single phase.

As per the schedule, the issue of the notification is on January 21, 2022, and the last date of making nominations would be January 28, 2022, while scrutiny of nominations would be done on January 29, 2022.

The date of withdrawal of candidature has been fixed for January 31, 2022. The date for polling has been fixed on February 14, 2022, whereas, counting will be done on March 10, 2022.

While addressing the media after the polling schedule announcement, Raju said that keeping in view the emerging challenge of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, everyone is requested for mandatory adherence of COVID appropriate behaviour.

He also requested Political Parties to strictly follow mandatory COVID-19 guidelines and encouraged them to opt for Virtual Campaign. There would be no campaign from 8 pm to 8 am.