Poll candidates affected by COVID-19 should not be disenfranchised: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora

Chief Election Commissioner had addressed day one of the EC`s two-day international virtual election visitors programme for election officials from other countries.

New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora announced on Monday (April 5) that those who are affected by the COVID-19 virus should not be disenfranchised during the Assam Assembly polls.

Arora had addressed day one of the EC’s two-day international virtual election visitors programme for election officials from other countries. The programme includes virtual visits to five polling stations during polling on Tuesday for 110 delegates from 26 countries.

He said, “Those who are COVID affected and quarantine should not be disenfranchised.”

Meanwhile, Assam is all set to witness direct and triangular contests in 40 assembly constituencies that are going to polls in the last of the three phases on Tuesday (April 6) to decide the fate of 337 candidates, including senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his five cabinet colleagues and BJP state unit president Ranjeet Kumar Dass.

The fate of 20 sitting MLAs - eight from the Congress, five from the BJP, three each from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and the BPF and one from the AGP -- will be decided in the final phase.

Polling will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm, with the timing extended by an hour to ensure that COVID protocols are maintained in the constituencies spread across 12 districts.

(With inputs from ANI)