New Delhi: Five state elections scheduled early next year are unlikely to be postponed, sources said Monday. This declaration came days after a court in Uttar Pradesh urged the Election Commission to defer the votes by a couple of months due to the Omicron scare in the country. The sources informed that the Election Commission is likely to stick to the schedule and follow the constitutional mandate of polls before the term of the state assemblies end. Elections are to be held in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur.
The Goa Assembly term ends March 15, the Manipur Assembly’s term finishes March 19 while that of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly gets over May 14.
Omicron cases are on the rise in India. Keeping this in mind, the Election Commission consulted Monday with the Health Secretary. It sought details on vaccine coverage and infections, the informed. The Election Commission also discussed the need for strict Covid-19 protocols.
The poll body will visit Uttar Pradesh, Tuesday to oversee the state’s election preparations. Officials will also meet with the chiefs of paramilitary forces on deployment for the election.
The Allahabad High Court requested Friday the Election Commission to postpone the polls. It also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ban election rallies and other gatherings.
“If rallies are not stopped, results will be worse than the second wave,” Justice Shekhar Yadav said during a hearing. He added, “Jaan hai toh jahaan hai (if there is life, we have everything).”
Justice Yadav also remarked that the Bengal Assembly elections and Gram Panchayat polls had infected many and had also caused deaths.
Various parties have amped up their campaigns for the polls, especially in Uttar Pradesh. It is India’s most politically significant state with the most number of Lok Sabha seats.
It should be stated here that crowds in rallies in both Uttar Pradesh and Punjab are on the rise as parties have upped their campaigning.