Page 98 - Conducting Elections during COVID-19

80 INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF CONDUCTING ELECTIONS DURING COVID-19

India

Elections during COVID-19

Election Commission of India has recently conducted elections to the Upper House of the Parliament
with well-designed safety measures against COVID-19.

Broad Guidelines for conduct of General Elections/Bye-
elections during COVID-19.

These instructions will stand tested in the forthcoming Assembly Elections Bye elections. (Excerpts
from the guidelines are at Annexure IV for a ready reference.)
Rajya Sabha Elections: 2020

1. General

Election Commission of India conducted the elections (actual polling) to 18 seats of Council of States
of Indian Parliament on June 19 2020. The Council of State elections are indirect elections where the
Members of Legislative Assembly of States are the electors. Thus, this poll involved 984 eligible voters
spread over 8 States. As the table at Annexure-I reflects, the ECI had to postpone the conduct of
these election ‘twice’ in view of the COVID- 19 circumstances and its containment measures enforced,
prevailing in India.

2. COVID- 19: Containment Measures and Impact on Election

2.1 In India, the COVID-19 containment measures were being steered by the Chairman, National
Executive Committee [being the Union Home Secretary] under the Disaster Management Act,
2005. These were being announced in terms of ‘Guidelines.’ The guidelines which overlapped
with the poll process of this RS polls were those dated 24.03.2020, 31.03.2020, 16.04.2020,
01.05.2020, 16.05.2020, 31.05.2020 and 14.06.2020.
2.2 The above mentioned guidelines basically notified a nationwide “lockdown” and it was the
Guidelines of 31.5.20, which began the “formal” process of “phased re-opening.” The crucial
aspects, on which these guidelines were likely to, or, did impact the on-going poll process were:
a. Prohibition on Public & Private transport – air, land & water.
b. Prohibition/Restriction on interstate movement of persons/sealing of interstate borders.

c. Prohibition on intrastate free movement of persons – curfew etc.