EC issues Covid guidelines for 11 counting centres : No candidate or agent or officials will be allowed without producing negative reports

No candidate or agent or officials will be allowed without producing negative reports for RT-PCR/Rapid Antigen Test

The Netaji Indoor Stadium being prepared for counting day on Saturday.:Pradip Sanyal

Special Correspondent   |  TT  |  Calcutta   |   02.05.21: The counting of votes of 16 Assembly constituencies in and around Calcutta will be carried out at 11 counting centres in the city on Sunday. 

The Election Commission of India has issued a set of guidelines for maintaining Covid-19 protocol at the counting centres. 

Here is the detail of the restrictions and arrangements at the city counting centres:

The counting hall that has been set up at St Thomas Boys High School.:Pradip Sanyal

Counting starts at: 8am

List of counting centres in Calcutta and the respective Assembly constituencies whose votes will be counted there:

⚫ Netaji Indoor Stadium: Chowringhee, Entally, Beleghata, Jorasanko and Shyampukur Assembly constituencies

⚫ Dinabandhu Andrew’s College: Jadavpur Assembly constituency

⚫ Hastings House Complex: Tollygunge Assembly constituency

⚫ David Hare Training College: Ballygunge Assembly constituency

⚫ Ballygunge Government High School: Rashbehari Assembly constituency

⚫ Shakhawat memorial Government Girls Higher Secondary School: Bhowanipore Assembly constituency

⚫ St Thomas Boys High School: Kolkata Port Assembly constituency

⚫ Gitanjali Stadium: Kasba Assembly constituency

⚫ Bratachari Vidyashram Higher Secondary School: Behala (East) Assembly constituency

⚫ Vivekananda College: Behala (West) Assembly constituency

⚫ Rabindra Bharati University: Maniktala and Cossipore-Belgachia Assembly constituencies.

A jawan stands guard outside a strong room at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.: Pradip Sanyal

Covid-19 Protocol at the counting centres on May 2:

⚫ No candidate or agent or counting officials will be allowed inside the counting centres without producing negative reports for RT-PCR/Rapid Antigen Test or certificate of two doses of vaccination against Covid-19

⚫ No one, including political party cadres, will be allowed within the 100-metre periphery of the counting centres. The 100-metre no-entry zone will be demarcated

⚫ Public gathering will not be allowed even outside the 100 metres of the counting centres

⚫ No one having fever or Covid-19-like symptoms will be allowed inside the counting centre.

⚫ Not more than two persons will be allowed to accompany the winning candidates to receive the certificate from the returning officer

⚫ Mask and use of hand sanitisers will be mandatory

⚫ No victory procession shall be allowed outside the counting centres.

Police arrangements

⚫ Police will barricade the 100-metre zone around counting centres

⚫ Only those with cards issued by the ECI will be allowed inside the centres

⚫ No electronic gadgets mobile phones, cameras and tripods will be allowed inside the counting centres

⚫ The outer periphery, outside the 100-metre zone, will be manned by city police while the inner ring, just outside the entrance of the counting centres, will be manned by the central forces.