<p>The Election Commission will set the broad guidelines for holding polls amid the Covid-19 pandemic within the next three days.</p>.<p>The commission will leave it to the Chief Electoral Officers in the poll-bound states to frame specific plans, based on the broad guidelines to be framed by itself, for putting in place specific measures required for holding elections amid the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>The EC on Tuesday had a meeting and studied the responses it received from the political parties in response to its letter seeking suggestions on holding polls during the Covid-19 pandemic. The commission also studied the measures suggested by the Chief Electoral Officers of the States and the Union Territories.</p>.<p>"After considering all these, the Commission directed to frame broad guidelines within three days,” the poll panel said in a press release issued after the meeting, which was chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora. The commission directed the Chief Electoral Officers to chalk out comprehensive plans based on the broad guidelines to be issued by it, for the districts and the states or the Union Territories concerned, “taking into account the local conditions”.</p>.<p>The EC embarked upon framing the guidelines ahead of the forthcoming state assembly polls in Bihar. Though the state is likely to go to polls in October, the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal and other opposition parties in Bihar demanded postponement of the election, in view of the raging pandemic. The Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) – a constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) – too asked for postponement of the polls in Bihar. The Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rule the state, however, stated that they were ready if the EC decided to hold the polls in October.</p>.<p>The poll panel had last month asked the political parties to submit suggestions on holding elections – both on campaigning by the political parties and on conducting the polls and counting process – in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>The EC already postponed several by-elections across the country over the past few months since the pandemic reached India.</p>
<p>The Election Commission will set the broad guidelines for holding polls amid the Covid-19 pandemic within the next three days.</p>.<p>The commission will leave it to the Chief Electoral Officers in the poll-bound states to frame specific plans, based on the broad guidelines to be framed by itself, for putting in place specific measures required for holding elections amid the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>The EC on Tuesday had a meeting and studied the responses it received from the political parties in response to its letter seeking suggestions on holding polls during the Covid-19 pandemic. The commission also studied the measures suggested by the Chief Electoral Officers of the States and the Union Territories.</p>.<p>"After considering all these, the Commission directed to frame broad guidelines within three days,” the poll panel said in a press release issued after the meeting, which was chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora. The commission directed the Chief Electoral Officers to chalk out comprehensive plans based on the broad guidelines to be issued by it, for the districts and the states or the Union Territories concerned, “taking into account the local conditions”.</p>.<p>The EC embarked upon framing the guidelines ahead of the forthcoming state assembly polls in Bihar. Though the state is likely to go to polls in October, the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal and other opposition parties in Bihar demanded postponement of the election, in view of the raging pandemic. The Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) – a constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) – too asked for postponement of the polls in Bihar. The Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rule the state, however, stated that they were ready if the EC decided to hold the polls in October.</p>.<p>The poll panel had last month asked the political parties to submit suggestions on holding elections – both on campaigning by the political parties and on conducting the polls and counting process – in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>The EC already postponed several by-elections across the country over the past few months since the pandemic reached India.</p>
