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Delay UP Polls, Ban Rallies: HC Urges PM, Election Commission Amid Omicron Fears

Mumbai: The Allahabad High Court has requested the Election Commission to postpone the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections by one or two months, in view of the rising cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The court also praised the efforts of PM for ensuring free Covid-19 vaccines to people.

“Jaan hain toh Jahaan hain (while there is life, there is hope,” observed Justice Shekhar Yadav as he requested the prime minister and the EC to consider postponing the UP election and banning political rallies.

“Election rallies of political parties should be banned to save the public from the third wave of Corona in the assembly elections to be held in UP. They should be asked to campaign through TV and newspapers. The EC should take strict steps to stop the election meetings and rallies of the parties. Also consider postponing the election, because only if there is life, the world is meaningful,” the court said, according to Bar and Bench.

The court also expressed displeasure over large gatherings within the court premises and said that “there could be a possibility of a third wave due to the new Omicron variant”.

The observation comes on the same day that PM Modi held a review meeting on the COVID-19 situation in the country. PM Modi appealed to people to be ‘Satark’ (vigilant) and ‘Savdhaan’ (careful) in view of the new version and strained contact tracing, vaccination and testing. Modi also directed the officials to maintain strict vigil and vigil at all levels and work closely with the states.

Meanwhile, A total of 17 states and UTs have reported Omicron cases in India so far, with Maharashtra having recorded the highest number of 88 cases of the Omicron variant, followed by Delhi with 67, Telangana 38, Tamil Nadu 34, Karnataka 31 and Gujarat 30.

In a communication to the states and UTs on Tuesday, the Centre said the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is at least thrice more transmissible than its Delta variant and asked them to “activate” war rooms, keep analysing even small trends and surges and keep taking strict and prompt containment action at the district and local levels.

There have been demands that the government allow booster doses of vaccines to be administered to those already fully inoculated against Covid-19, as has been done by many countries.

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