After Saying Heavens Won't Fall If It Is Deferred, SC Allows Vote Counting In UP Panchayat Polls
The Supreme Court on Saturday refused to stay the counting of votes for panchayat polls in Uttar Pradesh.
The apex court also said no victory rallies shall be permitted during the counting, beginning on Sunday, or after the process is over.
The State Election Commission, it said will fasten responsibility on gazetted officers for the observance of COVID-19 protocols at counting centres.
What SC said
It also directed the state SEC to preserve CCTV footage of the counting centres in states till the Allahabad High Court concludes hearing the pleas before it.?
Earlier the SC had in a snark remark asked that "Despite the situation, you need to go ahead? Can you have it after two weeks so that the medical facilities can be improved?" the court said.
"You want to proceed despite all odds? Heavens will not fall if counting is deferred by three weeks," the SC asked.
"Teachers' association has filed a petition, and they are unwilling to work. How do you handle the situation?" the court further asked, referring to the plea which mentioned 700 teaches died during the polling process.
The UP Election Commission had assured the SC that it will adhere to Covid protocol for the counting process.?
The panchayat elections in UP along with the assembly polls in various states amid the second wave of COVID-19 had resulted in much criticism.
Madras HC pulled up EC
Earlier this week, the Madras High Court had pulled up the?Election Commission?for allowing political rallies during the?COVID-19 pandemic.
Your institution is singularly responsible for the second wave of COVID-19. Your officers should be booked on murder charges probably" Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee had said.
On Friday the HC refused to entertain a petition by the ECI seeking to restrain media from publishing the court¡¯s oral observations blaming the poll body for the rise in Covid-19 cases.
The ECI said these oral observations had caused it grave prejudice and that police complaints were being filed against it seeking action for criminal offence. Rejecting requests by senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing ECI, to direct media houses to confine their reports to written orders and to refrain from reporting oral observations of judges during the court proceedings, the court said the Commission can anyway approach the courts ¡°if any frivolous complaints are made¡±.
