The Madras High Court on Monday mentioned that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is singularly accountable for spreading Covid-19 and homicide fees ought to in all probability be imposed on it for its “irresponsible” behaviour.
Criticising the ECI for not stopping political events from violating the Covid protocols, the primary bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy mentioned, “You (ECI) are the only institution responsible for the situation that we are in today.”
“You have been singularly lacking any kind of exercise of authority. You have not taken measures against political parties holding rallies despite every order of this court saying ‘maintain Covid protocol, maintain Covid protocol’,” the courtroom mentioned, asking whether or not the ballot watchdog “was on another planet when poll rallies were held”.
Chief Justice Banerjee and Justice Ramamoorthy had been listening to a petition filed by the state transport minister M R Vijayabhaskar looking for instructions to the ECI to comply with sure measures in the course of the counting of votes on May 2 at his Karur constituency, the place a complete of 77 candidates had contested.
Reminding the counsel of ECI that it’s all about “survival and protection” now and that “everything else comes next”, the courtroom additional mentioned that it will problem orders to cease counting if ECI fails to organize a blueprint earlier than May 2 on how Covid protocols might be maintained in the course of the course of. This must be finished to make sure that “this state does not succumb to your idiosyncrasies any further,” the HC mentioned.
It added, “Politics or no politics, whether the counting takes place in a staggered manner or deferred…At no cost, the counting of votes on May 2 result in being a catalyst to a further surge. Public health is of paramount importance and it is distressing that constitutional authorities have to be reminded in such regard…”
The case might be heard subsequent on April 30.