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India Covid crisis: Election Commission bans victory processions over poll results

Mumbai - Counting of votes begin on May 2 and the results will be declared on the same day.

Published: Tue 27 Apr 2021, 12:15 PM

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Perhaps stung by a Madras high court order slamming it and holding it “singularly responsible for the second wave of Covid-19,” the Indian Election Commission on Tuesday banned all victory processions on or after May 2, when results to assembly elections in five states will be announced.

"Not more than two persons shall be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his/her authorised representative to receive the certificate of election from the Returning Officer concerned," said an Election Commission notification on Tuesday.

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Elections to legislative assemblies of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry were held in eight phases from March 27 and will continue till Thursday. Counting of votes begin on May 2 and the results will be declared on the same day.

Though the Election Commission had laid down the rules for campaigning to prevent the spread of infections, most candidates, their political bosses and even national leaders blatantly ignored the rules. Huge crowds were addressed in these states from top leaders from virtually all the parties including the BJP, the Congress and the regional ones.

The hectic electoral campaigns and the Kumbh religious festival in Hardwar in Uttarakhand are being seen by many as the reasons for upsurge in Covid cases in India. Almost 200,000 people have died in India because of Covid-19.



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