EC Bans Victory Processions During And After Counting Of Votes On May 2
Mumbai: The Election Commission on Tuesday banned all victory processions during and after the counting of votes for the Assembly elections in four states and a Union Territory on May 2 in view of rising COVID-19 cases.
The decision has been taken to check the COVID-19 spread.
Further, the Election Commission has directed that no more than two persons will be allowed to accompany the winning candidate while obtaining the certificate of election from the Returning Officer.
Counting of votes for the assembly elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry and by-elections in various states are due on 2 May.
This comes after Madras High Court asked the commission to prepare a blueprint of how COVID-19 protocols would be followed on the counting day.
The Madras High Court on Monday reprimanded the Election Commission, saying that during election campaigning for the assembly elections, the poll panel failed to prevent parties from flouting COVID19 norms for which the poll panel should probably face murder charges.
Also Read: ECI Responsible For 2nd COVID-19 Wave, Officers Should Probably Be Booked For Murder: HC
A bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy also warned of halting the counting process on May 2 in case there are no proper plans to conduct the process.
While hearing a petition moved by Tamil Nadu Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskhar, the bench said: “You (EC) are the only institution responsible for the situation of COVID and should probably be put on murder charges for not preventing political parties from the misuse of COVID-19 protocol. You have been singularly lacking any kind of exercise of authority. You have not taken measures against political parties holding rallies despite the court saying ‘Maintain COVID protocols, maintain COVID protocols’.”
“We assure you that we will stop counting if we do not find before May 2 a blueprint on how proper maintenance of COVID protocol is assured so that this state does not succumb to the idiosyncrasies any further,” the bench added.
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