This Monday, the Commission for the Constitution of the Chamber of Deputies the constitutional reform project promoted by senators Pedro Araya (Ind), Álvaro Elizalde (PS), Alfonso de Urresti (PS), Alejandro Guillier (Ind – PR) and Francisco Huenchumilla (DC) – that seeks to modify norms regarding the plebiscite that will be held on October 25.
Specifically, the initiative –that was already approved in the Senate– It grants a series of attributions to the Servel so that it can, without the need for a series of legal modifications, dictate the sanitary measures for that electoral day related to issues such as the capacity in the voting centers and their hours, the operating protocol of the booths, the access of the proxies at the polling station and the media and even if it will be necessary for each citizen to carry their own pencil, among others.
For example, the body could establish different voting hours according to age group; and that the board members may be excused arguing health reasons.
“There is no excuse after the approval of this project for the government to guarantee the conditions of safety and health the plebiscite on October 25”said Deputy Matías Walker, president of the instance.
And added that “In no case will these sanitary conditions mean an impediment to carrying out the sanitary process anywhere in the country, in any commune, in any region (…) there is no possibility of moving it despite last minute maneuvers by those who go losing the game by a landslide ”.
During the session, the Minister of General Secretariat of the Presidency, Cristián MonckebergHe said that the government hopes that this plebiscite will be carried out in a “safe” manner and that the largest number of people attend and responded to the concerns of the parliamentarians about the possible decisions that the Servel could take in this matter.
“I understand the doubts that can be raised, but the Servel is the one that ensures that this is carried out in a good way and it will act in that line”commented the secretary of state.
Monckeberg insisted that if there are objections to the decisions made by the agency, it can be claimed before the Elections Qualifying Court (Tricel), which must resolve within 10 days.
The minister estimated that at present 18,000 people would be under a measure of isolation, either by contagion of Covid-19 or by being a close contact, and explained that the Servel together with the Minsal will define the corresponding actions so that voters can go to the polls.
In this sense, the Undersecretary of the Interior, Juan Francisco Galli, said that the sanitary measures to be implemented will depend on “Of the health circumstances of the weeks or days prior to the plebiscite”.
“Entering this level of detail all it does is to stiffen the measures that the health authority will have to adopt 48 hours prior to the plebiscite”he commented.
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