As India continues to record more than 3 lakh cases from the past 5 days Madras High Court Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee slams the Election Commission of India for not stopping political parties from holding election rallies.
Chief Justice Banerjee said that the Election commission officials should probably be booked for murder charges. He also warns that the court will stop counting of votes on May 2nd if a blueprint to follow COVID-19 protocol is not put in.
The Election Commission is singularly responsible for the second wave of Covid and should probably be booked for murder, the Madras High Court said over the crowded campaigns for the five state polls that continued in the middle of raging virus cases.
“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 Election Commission.
“The election body had failed to enforce Covid safety rules like masks, sanitisers and distancing during campaigning despite court orders,” said the High Court.
“Were you on another planet when the election rallies were held,” Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee questioned.
The High Court also asked for a plan to enforce Covid rules on May 2 – the day of the results by Friday. Without it, the counting could also be stopped, 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.
