Fighting anxiety, polling officials in PPE kits are facilitating voting in local body polls by COVID-19 patients and those under observation for the disease in Ernakulam district.
Special postal voting is made available for the 3,622 patients and 5,739 in quarantine — 9,361 in all — figuring on the preliminary list of certified voters eligible to cast special postal voting. The list will be updated till 3 p.m. on December 9, the penultimate day of polling.
Officials, comprising a polling officer and a polling assistant, who are facilitating voting take all precautions and arrive wearing PPE kits. Safe distance is maintained from the voter, who should wear a mask and hand over the ballot after sanitising their hands. The officials change their hand gloves before approaching each voter and travel in a double-chamber vehicle. Used PPE kits are disposed of with the help of the local primary health centre.
Separate envelops are maintained for depositing the ballot and the required documents. Postal votes, handed over to Returning Officers, are kept in specially prepared boxes.
