Ahead of Assembly polls to five states, the meeting of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and top officials of the health ministry on Thursday to review the COVID-19 situation was attended by AIIMS Director Dr. Randeep Guleria and ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava, informed official sources.
The Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan was also present at the meeting.
As per sources, a complete review of the prevailing COVID-19 situation was done during the meeting. The inputs of medical experts were taken on ensuring the safety measures during elections.
It was also discussed that complete vaccination among voters and staff should be mandated, sources said.
The law and order situation in poll-bound states ahead polls was also held with Union Home Secretary, they added.
Earlier on December 27, 2021, the meeting was held between Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and poll officials where they held discussions over the steps needed to conduct polls in the safest manner amid the emergence of a new variant Omicron.
The officials also sought suggestions and a detailed report from Union Health Secretary Bhushan on improving its COVID-19 protocol for poll campaigning, polling days, and the dates of counting.
The Election Commission is prepared for the assembly polls and is expected to announce the dates soon of Goa, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Manipur legislative assemblies are ending on different dates in March and Uttar Pradesh will end in May.
Arvind Kejriwal In Jail, Manish Sisodia To Lead AAP's Assembly Poll Campaign On Terror And Elections In J&K, Poll Panel Chief's 'Chicken And Egg' Analogy Election Commission Reaches Jammu And Kashmir To Check Poll Preparedness 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court Vandalism At Kolkata Hospital Where Doctor Was Raped, Tear Gas Fired 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing India's 78th Independence Day: A Tribute By Google Doodle "Full Of Negativity...": PM Slams Opposition In Independence Day Speech "We Revived Nalanda University, Now We Must Revive Nalanda Spirit": PM Modi Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.