Must follow Covid safety norms at rallies: HC

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court has directed the district administration and the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to take necessary measures so that the guidelines laid down by the Election Commission in connection with Covid related health protocols are strictly adhered to by all stakeholders including the political parties and candidates during election campaigns .

The court's directions came in the wake of two writ petitions by two public spirited citizens expressing their concern that the people participating in the ongoing election campaigns are not adhering to the Covid protocol and this may cause serious spike in COVID19 cases in Bengal.

“If the Administration finds that a person, whether engaged in election campaigning or otherwise, is flouting the Covid protocols, such person must been taken to task immediately,” the Court observed.

The court has also given the nod to the administration for resorting to the provisions of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 for enforcement of social distancing. The court will hear the matter on April 19 when the state CEO has been asked to file a report in the form of an affidavit as regards to the measures taken up for implementation of the guidelines for holding a safe election in so far as public health is concerned.