E-Paper
Mamata welcomes Madras HC’s harsh criticism of Election Commission
The Bengal chief minister also said that the central forces deployed in the state were contributing to the Covid-19 caseload.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday welcomed Madras High Court’s observation that the Election Commission (EC) is singularly responsible for the second wave of coronavirus pandemic. “I welcome Madras HC order which says that the election commission cannot escape responsibility for Covid-19 spike during polls,” Banerjee said.
She also said that central forces should be withdrawn in light of the rising cases of the coronavirus disease. “The EC should withdraw central forces who have also contributed to the spread of Covid-19 in Bengal,” the Bengal chief minister added.
Madras High Court on Monday called the poll body ‘irresponsible’ and said that the officers may be booked under murder charges as they ignored Covid-19 norms not being followed at campaign rallies and large crowds which played a role in the surge in cases. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice S Ramamoorthy made their observations while hearing a public interest writ from the AIADMK’s candidate from Tamil Nadu’s Karur and the state’s transport minister MR Vijayabaskar where he sought directions from authorities to ensure fair counting of votes on May 2 in his constituency by ensuring proper arrangements were made keeping in view the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the counsel for the EC said that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure safe and fair counting, the bench sternly observed that the EC paved the way for the second wave in the nation. Madras HC also warned that it would not hesitate to stop the counting of votes on May 2 if the EC fails to submit a blueprint on how it plans to conduct the counting.
The votes for the elections held in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, West Bengal and the Union territory of Puducherry will be counted on May 2. Voting is over in all states barring West Bengal where the seventh phase is currently underway and the eighth phase of polls will be held on April 28. All these states and Union territories reported a high surge in Covid-19 cases, according to the Union health ministry.
