New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) prohibited victory procession after the counting of votes of state assembly elections on May 2 in wake of the surge in COVID-19 cases.
“No victory procession after the counting on May 2, 2021 shall be permissible. Not more than two persons shall be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or
his/her authorized representative to receive the certificate of election from the Returning
Officer concerned,” reads the EC’s release.
EC’s directive comes a day after Madras High court’s order on compliance of COVID norms during the poll process on Monday.
“Similar appropriate measures have to be adopted at every counting centre and it is only upon maintaining regular sanitization, proper hygienic conditions, mandatory wearing of mask and adherence to the distance norms, should any counting begin or be continued. The State Health Secretary and the Director of Public Health should be consulted by the Election Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer responsible in the State, to put appropriate measures in place immediately,” stated the court.
Counting of votes of assembty elections of the states of Assam, Tamil Nadu Kerala and West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry will take place on May 2. Apart from West Bengal, the elections have been concluded in all these states/UT.