Days after a stinging rap from the judiciary, the Election Commission on Friday moved the Madras High Court, looking for to restrain the media from reporting oral observations of judges made on its function in conducting elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a plea the court docket refused.
Comments of homicide fees in opposition to ECI officers and the establishment being solely chargeable for the surge in COVID-19 circumstances had brought on nice harm and it had tarnished the EC’s picture, its counsel contended.
The first bench refused to restrain the media, each digital and print, from publishing the oral observations of the judges relating the function of EC in holding elections to 4 states and the Union Territory of Puducherry within the nation through the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Let us leave that (matter) at it,” was the reply of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy when the matter with regard to lapses in procuring COVID-19 vaccines, offering beds and ventilators and the alleged diversion of oxygen cylinders to different states got here up once more on Friday.
The court docket had taken up the matter by itself.
“The post-mortem on either count may have to wait, particularly in the light of immediate measures that may be put in place,” the CJ quipped when the EC senior counsel moved the court docket with the prayer to restrain the media from sensationalising the difficulty.
“It was a very difficult job to hold the elections during these difficult times. Based on the observations of the courts, certain people have approached the police with complaints and the latter had filed FIRs too,” the EC counsel stated and prayed for some kind of safety.
“The courts concerned would take care of such frivolous complaints being filed against the ECI… lets not play a blame game,” the CJ stated.
The court docket had taken up the matter to not challenge instructions by presuming itself as an professional with regards to dealing with COVID-19, however the focus was to make the governments act on the idea of specialists’ recommendation.
“We are the first to accept that we may not be qualified to take a call,” the CJ added.
Additional Solicitor General R Sankaranarayanan informed the bench that until December final yr, the Covid-19 curve was flattening and in January it was high-quality. Only thereafter, the surge was seen in Maharashtra and Kerala. A high-level workforce was dispatched to Kerala to assist public well being interventions for covid administration. The Centre has achieved no matter was wanted, the ASG stated.
The ECI sought a route to the press and visible media, which had reported the oral feedback, to challenge a clarification. It additionally wished a route to the police to not register any case on the idea of felony complaints being filed in opposition to EC officers pursuant to the oral observations.
The Madras High Court had on Monday castigated the Election Commission over the COVID-19 second wave within the nation, holding it “singularly” chargeable for the unfold, known as it “the most irresponsible institution” and even stated its officers could also be booked below homicide fees.
The EC permitting political events to take out rallies and conferences had led to the unfold of the pandemic, the court docket had stated.
