July 05, 2025 09:47 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Vijay named as TVK's CM face for upcoming Tamil Nadu polls | India says only Dalai Lama can decide his successor, China responds with warning | Pakistan had 30-45 seconds to respond: Shehbaz Sharif's aide on India's BrahMos attack during Op. Sindoor | Calcutta HC orders closure of all Bengal college union rooms until fresh elections in wake of Kolkata rape case | ‘We will cross that bridge when we come to it’: Jaishankar’s response on US bill proposing 500% tariffs | 'We slapped because of his attitude': MNS worker justifies assault on shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi | 'Marathi will have to be spoken in Maharashtra': State minister after MNS workers' assault on shopkeeper | PM Modi conferred with 'The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana' | Three Indian nationals abducted in Al-Qaeda-linked group's attack in Mali, MEA expresses 'deep concern' | Pune woman raped by man posing as delivery boy, police probe on
Election Commission

Negative Covid report or two vaccine jabs compulsory for candidates to enter vote counting centres : EC

| @indiablooms | Apr 28, 2021, at 09:32 pm

New Delhi/IBNS: The Election Commission of India has made negative Covdi-19 test or two doses of coronavirus vaccine compulsory for the candidates and their agents who want to enter the vote counting halls in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.

In an order issued on Wednesday, the commission banned public gatherings outside the counting centres  on May 2 (Sunday) and made a negative RT-PCR test or Rapid Antigen Test report that is not more than 48 hours old or vaccination certificates mandatory for those who wish to be present during the counting of votes.

The candidates will have to provide a list of counting agents at least three days before the day of counting, the order added.

On Tuesday, the ECI banned all victory processions after the declaration of election results in four states and one union territory on May 2 over Covid-19 spike.

"Not more than two persons shall be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his/her authorised representative to receive the certificate of election from the Returning Officer concerned," the Election Commission of India (ECI) said.

The EC's ban came a day after the Madras High Court on Monday held its officers solely responsible for the Covid-19 second wave, which has crippled the country.

The Election Commission has earned massive criticisms over its handling of the elections amid Covid-19 situation.

The campaigns in the poll bound states broke all Covid-19 appropriate protocols with large number of people gathering in places, breaking social distancing norms as various Indian political heavy weights, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and various Chief Ministers, addressed massive rallies of thousands of people.

After the Calcutta High Court rapped the poll body over Covid-19 protocols last week, the EC banned rallies of more than 500 people.

In a sign of relief amid the health emergency in the country, the campaign for the last phase of West Bengal elections concluded last evening.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Close menu