The Excessive Court docket additionally requested for a plan to implement Covid guidelines on Could 2 – the day of the outcomes.
Chennai:
The Election Fee is singularly answerable for the second wave of Covid and may in all probability be booked for homicide, the Madras Excessive Court docket noticed in the present day within the sharpest criticism but of crowded campaigns for the 5 state polls that continued in the midst of raging virus instances. The courtroom has threatened to cease the counting of votes on Sunday if a “blueprint” isn’t in place.
The Election Fee will react after it sees the order, sources say.
“Your establishment is singularly answerable for the second wave of COVID-19. Your officers ought to be booked on homicide prices in all probability,” the Madras Excessive Court docket advised the Election Fee.
The election physique had did not implement Covid security guidelines like masks, sanitizers and distancing throughout campaigning regardless of courtroom orders, stated the Excessive Court docket.
“Had been you on one other planet when the election rallies had been held,” Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee questioned.
The Excessive Court docket additionally requested for a plan to implement Covid guidelines on Could 2 – the day of the outcomes – by Friday. With out it, the counting may be stopped, stated the Excessive Court docket.
“Public well being is paramount. Distressing that constitutional authorities should be reminded. It’s only when a citizen survives that he’ll be capable to benefit from the rights {that a} democratic republic ensures,” the courtroom stated.
Orders are anticipated later in the present day. The Excessive Court docket was listening to a petition by Tamil Nadu Transport Minister MR Vijayabaskar in search of Covid compliance in counting halls in Karur constituency, from the place he contested.
Covid instances have exploded alongside elections held in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry. As we speak, India reported 3.52 lakh instances and a couple of,812 deaths in 24 hours, one other grim report.
The Election Fee stopped roadshows and rallies and restricted public conferences to 500 individuals final Thursday, with simply three extra rounds of voting left in Bengal’s report eight-phase election and all different states carried out with the vote.
Shortly earlier than the election physique’s order, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced that he was cancelling his marketing campaign go to to Bengal the following day due to a Covid assembly. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who additionally restricted her marketing campaign quickly after, questioned why the Election Fee had waited until the PM’s announcement to impose Covid curbs on campaigning.
She additionally hit out on the Election Fee for rejecting her repeated appeals to membership the previous couple of rounds of voting in Bengal.