As India reels with the second Covid wave, the Madras High Court on Monday slammed the Election Commission for holding elections within the 5 states and permitting political rallies drawing large crowds.
The court docket mentioned that the ballot physique is to be held “singularly responsible” for the Covid-19 second wave, with which the nation is at the moment struggling. The court docket even went on to say that the ‘officers of EC ought to in all probability be booked for homicide’.
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The first bench of Chief Justice Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, on the Madras High Court, made these scathing remarks whereas listening to a petition on amenities to make sure that Covid-19 security norms are adopted throughout voting in Tamil Nadu’s Karur constituency.
“Were you on another planet when the election rallies were held?” the Chief Justice requested the ECI counsel, in view of the rising Covid-19 circumstances.
The court docket additionally famous that no political rally adhered to the protocols issued by the courts as face masks or sanitizers weren’t used, nor was social distance maintained throughout election campaigning.
The Court has additionally warned to cease the vote-counting on May 2nd if EC fails to offer a blueprint of a plan to observe Covid pointers on Result Day.
“Public health is paramount. Distressing that constitutional authorities ought to be reminded,” the court docket mentioned.
“The situation is now of survival and protection, everything comes next,” the court docket additional added.
The Madras High Court directed the Election Commission of India and Tamil Nadu Chief Election Officer to seek the advice of with the Health Secretary and draft a Covid-19 protocol for the counting day and submit the identical on April 30.
