MLAs and collectors urge to postpone civic body polls
In wake of increasing number of Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases, the MLAs and district collectors of Jaipur and Kota have urged state government to postpone the civic body polls. On Sunday, India confirmed 107 Covid-19 cases.
The election to the six Municipal Corporations in the three districts – Kota, Jaipur and Jodhpur is scheduled on April 5.
Kota Collector Om Kasera in a letter to the department of local self government has stated the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations have announced Coronavirus a pandemic. The Union government has issued advisory for observing precautions for preventing spread of Covid-19 and even Supreme Court has decided to hear cases in only urgent cases amid coronavirus scare.
The state government on March 13 has issued order to keep schools, colleges, coaching centers, gyms, cinema halls etc closed till March 30, while CM has also made public appeal for avoiding mass congregations – in view of which the civic polls should be postpone as it would involve mass congregation during polling process, Kasera said.
In a similar letter, Jaipur Collector, Dr Joga Ram has also urged to postpone polls as during election campaign the political parties and candidates hold public meetings, which is attended by large number of people. In Jaipur, three people have tested positive for Covid-19 . In view of the circumstances, the civic polls of Jaipur Greater and Jaipur Heritage should be postpone, Dr Joga Ram noted in the letter.
Meanwhile, the MLAs of Kota and Jaipur too have written to government asking to postpone the polls. “The danger of coronavirus is there across the world. The state election commission should postpone the elections as holding elections in such circumstances will not be feasible,” said Mahesh Joshi, MLA from Hawamahal and Congress chief whip. Similar thoughts have been conveyed by other Congress MLAs from Jaipur.
Transport minister and MLA from Civil Lines, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said there is no meaning of holding election if there is no participation of people. If the election process continues than the campaign against the virus will be ineffective. In public interest, the polls should be postponed, he added.
BJP MLA from Sanganer Ashok Lahoti said coronavirus has become a pandemic and people’s life should not be put on stake and the elections should be postponed.
Similar sentiments were conveyed by Kota MLAs, “When there is shutdown of schools, educational institutions, cinema halls, etc due to Covid then the Municipal polls should also be deferred,” said Ramnarayan Meena, Congress MLA from Pipalda, Kota.
BJP MLAs Sandeep Sharma and Kalpana Devi too asserted on deferring the polls.
Urban development and housing minister Shanti Dhariwal reportedly stated the collectors have urged to postpone in view of the coronavirus. The same sentiments have been conveyed to state election commission. Now the decision has to be taken by commission and court, he added.