Pankaj Tripathi
Ahead of elections in home state Bihar, Pankaj shoots PSA videos about maintaining physical distancing during polling
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 21, 2020)

Pankaj Tripathi has had a busy week of promotions in the run-up to the release of the second season of Mirzapur. Squeezing in a few hours from his virtual promotions, the actor — who is appointed the state icon of Bihar — shot for a series of public interest videos about preventive measures against Coronavirus ahead of the state's assembly elections. With the polling slated to be conducted on October 28, November 3 and November 7, Tripathi's videos will make voters aware of the precautionary measures adopted at the polling booths, thus assuring them of their safety.

"The booths will be sanitised a day before the polling, and from time to time on the day of the elections. Thermal scanners have been installed at the entrance of all polling stations. Soap-water and hand sanitisers will be provided at the entrance and exit," lists the senior actor, adding that special emphasis has been laid on physical distancing with designated spots allotted to citizens for queueing up. "Wearing a mask is mandatory, and the [authorities] are also handing out gloves so that people can operate the electronic voting machine without fear of contamination."

Tripathi emphasises that the Election Commission has covered all the bases to encourage citizens to cast their vote. "Now, it's up to us to do our civic duty. I want people to go out and exercise their right to vote," he states.