Indonesia puts off regional polls after organisers catch Covid-19

General Elections Commission (KPU) Evi Novida Ginting Manik (right) talks with chairman Arief Budiman during a press briefing at the KPU office in Jakarta on March 19, 2020. - Antara

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/ANN): Postponing this year’s regional elections was the most viable option to avoid Covid-19 from further spreading to rural areas, Indonesia’s elections authority has said, as reports emerged that election organisers have also caught the disease and stakeholders moved to delay the polls.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) made the decision after revealing it was also fighting to contain the virus within its ranks, which poses a serious risk to the agency’s capacity to organise elections in 270 regions slated for September.