Allahabad High Court urges Election Commission to delay UP elections, stop rallies
Citing news reports of increasing COVID-19 cases and deaths, the HC said the third wave “is at our doorstep”.
- Dec 24, 2021,
- Updated Dec 24, 2021 12:51 PM IST
The Allahabad High Court requested the Election Commission of India to postpone the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections by a month or two. It also urged PM Modi to ban election-related gatherings in the state over fears of the Omicron variant.
Citing news reports of increasing COVID-19 cases and deaths, the HC said the third wave “is at our doorstep”.
These observations were made by Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav during a bail hearing. He noted that his court had 400 petitions listed before it for the day and several lawyers in the courtroom had failed to maintain social distancing and mask protocol during the same.
"If rallies are not stopped, results will be worse than the second wave," Justice Shekhar Yadav said, adding that, "Jaan hai toh Jahaan hai (if there is life, we have the world).
"Gram Panchayat elections and the Bengal assembly elections infected a lot of people, which caused many deaths as well," the judge said. He pointed out that political parties are organising rallies and gatherings for the upcoming UP assembly elections and following Covid protocols in such events is impossible. There are elections scheduled early next year in five states of the country.
Judge Yadav requested the EC to prohibit rallies and gatherings of any kind for the assembly elections and direct political parties to campaign through Doordarshan or newspapers and not physical events.
The HC judge, while praising the PM’s vaccination drive, requested him, taking into consideration the “frightening situation”. The PM, Home Minister, State Chief Minister, and leaders of all major opposition parties have addressed mass gatherings in UP. Several other rallies have been planned for the rest of the month and early next year.
The court further said that countries like China, the Netherlands, and Germany have already imposed complete or partial lockdowns due to the rising cases.
The Allahabad High Court requested the Election Commission of India to postpone the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections by a month or two. It also urged PM Modi to ban election-related gatherings in the state over fears of the Omicron variant.
Citing news reports of increasing COVID-19 cases and deaths, the HC said the third wave “is at our doorstep”.
These observations were made by Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav during a bail hearing. He noted that his court had 400 petitions listed before it for the day and several lawyers in the courtroom had failed to maintain social distancing and mask protocol during the same.
"If rallies are not stopped, results will be worse than the second wave," Justice Shekhar Yadav said, adding that, "Jaan hai toh Jahaan hai (if there is life, we have the world).
"Gram Panchayat elections and the Bengal assembly elections infected a lot of people, which caused many deaths as well," the judge said. He pointed out that political parties are organising rallies and gatherings for the upcoming UP assembly elections and following Covid protocols in such events is impossible. There are elections scheduled early next year in five states of the country.
Judge Yadav requested the EC to prohibit rallies and gatherings of any kind for the assembly elections and direct political parties to campaign through Doordarshan or newspapers and not physical events.
The HC judge, while praising the PM’s vaccination drive, requested him, taking into consideration the “frightening situation”. The PM, Home Minister, State Chief Minister, and leaders of all major opposition parties have addressed mass gatherings in UP. Several other rallies have been planned for the rest of the month and early next year.
The court further said that countries like China, the Netherlands, and Germany have already imposed complete or partial lockdowns due to the rising cases.