Monday was the last date for withdrawal of nomination for the panchayat and municipal elections. The real election battle will start now. The threat of the spread of Covid-19 and the possibility of election-related violence are the two things that will worry the people of the state. As the campaigning starts rigorously, large-scale gatherings are being witnessed across the state. What worries most is that the people are not following the advisory issued by the health department. In many rallies, it is seen that people are not wearing masks and no one carries sanitizers.
While it may be practically difficult to follow social distancing norms, wearing of masks should be strictly followed. The situation is so bad that Home Minister Bamang Felix had to make an appeal on Sunday to the people of the state to strictly follow the SOPs of the health department while participating in the election process. The political parties should instruct their workers and leaders to follow the SOPs. This will greatly help to fight Covid-19. Also, during the panchayat election, the possibility of violence is very high. The administration will have to be on its toes and thwart any possible violence. Election is an integral part of a democracy. The citizens should celebrate it and not indulge in any violence.