BackWill ban rallies if Covid-19 rules flouted: EC warns political parties
Political parties, leaders, campaigners, candidates, existing or aspiring policymakers are expected to be torchbearers for the campaign against Covid, the poll panel said
PremiumAs the second wave rages across the country, the Election Commission has flagged instances where star campaigners were seen without face masks and violating the Covid-19 safety rules during public meetings and rallies.
"It is widely known that in the recent weeks, Covid cases are being reported in large numbers. However, instances of election meetings/campaigns have come to the notice of the commission, where norms of social distancing, wearing of masks have been flouted in disregard to the commission's guidelines," the EC said in a letter to all political parties on Friday.
"By doing so, the political parties and candidates are exposing themselves as well as the public attending such election meetings to the grave danger of the infection," the letter added.
The EC said it has taken "serious view of the laxity" in following norms.
It said that it will "not hesitate in banning public meetings, rallies of defaulting candidates, star campaigners or political leaders without any further reference" if the rules are breached.
Political parties, leaders, campaigners, candidates, existing or aspiring policymakers are expected to be torchbearers for the campaign against Covid, the poll panel said in a letter.
They must push all their supporters in the beginning of a rally, meeting or a campaign to wear masks and use sanitisers, and put in place crowd-control measures as per social distancing norms, it added.
"The Commission seeks the fullest cooperation from the political parties and candidates of the strictest observance of the protocols so that all the Covid guidelines are adhered to by all the participants including organizers in the electioneering," the EC stated.
On Thursday, the Delhi High Court had sought responses from the commission and the central government on the use of masks during poll campaigns.
In October last year, the EC had taken a serious view of "utter violation" of social distancing norms during poll campaigning and leaders addressing public meetings without wearing masks in complete disregard of its guidelines issued in August ahead of the Bihar assembly elections.
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