Guwahati: The voting time for Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections, 2020 have been extended by an hour by the Assam State Election Commission. The BTC elections are scheduled on December 7 and December 10.
Earlier, the polling time was from 8 AM to 4 PM, however, it has now been changed to 7.30 AM to 4.30 PM. This has been decided by the apex state election commission to maintain the social distancing norms.
The elections will be held adhering to all the safety protocols of COVID-19.
Alok Kumar, the State Election Commissioner (SEC) said that photo electoral rolls will be used for the first time in the local body polls in Assam, as it will be used for better identification of the voters.
Kumar said that the commission is trying to upgrade the BTC elections as close as possible to the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. They have adopted the COVID-19 guidelines that were issued by Election Commission of India to hold the Bihar Assembly elections.
There will temperature check for every voter, and social distancing would be maintained while the voters make a queue to vote. Any voter, who will have high body temperature, will be asked by the authorities to come to vote in the last hours of the election.
Since the process of checking body temperature and maintaining social distancing would take up some time, the commission came up with the decision to extend the voting time.
Kumar mentioned that if any voter entered the polling station compound before 4.30 PM, they will be allowed to cast their votes even after 4.30 PM.
The designated election personnel are asked to do all the necessary preparations a night before the elections as the voting will start early in the morning.
The counting of the votes will take place on December 12.