Chennai: The Madras High Court came down very hard Monday on the Election Commission (EC) and just stopped short of calling it murderer. The Madras High Court not only blamed the Election Commission for the ‘for the alleged spread of the second wave of Covid-19 in India’, but also said that EC officials may be booked under murder charges too.
The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy made the observations on a public interest writ. It was seeking for a direction to authorities to ensure fair counting of votes May 2 in Karur. The plea said effective steps and proper arrangements with Covid-19 protocols should be made for counting.
A total of 77 candidates are contesting in the Karur constituency. So it would be very difficult to accommodate their agents in the counting hall. It may affect observance of the protocols, the petitioner alleged.
When the counsel for the EC told the judges that all necessary steps were underway, the bench retorted harshly. It said that by allowing the political parties to take out rallies and meetings, the EC had paved the way for the resurgence of the second wave of Covid-19.
The judges also orally warned that they would not hesitate to stop the counting of votes May 2 if a blueprint is not in place.
Sources said that the Election Commission will react after it sees the order, sources say.
“Your institution is singularly responsible for the second wave of COVID-19. Your officers should be booked on murder charges probably,” the Madras High Court told the EC.
“Were you on another planet when the election rallies were held,” Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee questioned.
The election body had failed to enforce Covid safety rules. Masks, sanitisers were not used and social distancing not observed during campaigning despite court orders, said the High Court.
“Public health is paramount. Distressing that constitutional authorities ought to be reminded. It is only when a citizen survives that he’ll be able to enjoy the rights that a democratic republic guarantees,” the court said.
Covid-19 cases have exploded alongside elections held in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Pondicherry., India reported Monday 3.52 lakh new cases and 2,812 deaths in 24 hours, another grim record.