<span style="color: #222222;">The Election Commission today held a meeting with the senior officers of West Bengal on the enforcement of COVID guidelines and directed them to ensure strict action for covid complaint behaviour. Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar held the meeting. During the meeting, the Commission noted with concern that during public campaigns for electioneering, the enforcement under the Disaster Management Act has been less than adequate. Executive Committee of the Commission directed that the State Disaster Management Authority and its functionaries must implement and monitor the implementation of COVID norms during the campaign and take appropriate action in case of any violation.  The West Bengal Chief Secretary apprised the Commission that State is in receipt of and noted further directions of ECI  on enforcement of COVID-19 norms during electioneering. He assured that entire machinery has been directed to now onwards take more stringent and prompt steps for sensitization and enforcement of extant instructions. State Health Secretary informed that elaborate arrangements have been made for collection and disposal of gloves discarded by the voters after use at the Polling Stations as bio-medical waste.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">While appreciating the good work done in the last six phases ensuring Covid safe arrangements at the polling stations, the Commission directed that regular monitoring of COVID compliant behaviour and action against the violations must be done by the authority. It further directed that appropriate and effective communication strategies must be put in place to inform the voters about Covid safe and secure environment at all polling stations.</span><br />''  <br />