The Election Commission (EC) has banned all victory processions on May 2, both during and after the counting of votes in five states namely, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry. This decision was taken keeping in mind the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in India.
A detailed order on the ban on victory processions across the country will be released soon by the Election Commission.
Election Commission of India bans all victory processions on or after the day of counting of votes, on May 2nd. Detailed order soon. pic.twitter.com/VM60c1fagD
— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2021
The EC decision comes as the country stares at the gloomiest phase of the ongoing Covid crisis. On Tuesday, India recorded over 3.23 lakh fresh Covid-19 cases while it saw the highest tally in the world with 3.5 lakh fresh cases on Monday.
Owing to this massive surge in the COVID-19 cases, the EC had last week used its constitutional powers to ban all roadshows, padyatras and vehicle rallies in Bengal which is in the middle of an 8-phase assembly election.
Mamata Banerjee announces that she will approach the Supreme Court after the elections to demand re-election
As the result day for the assembly elections, 2nd May, draws closer, Mamata Banerjee had declared that she will be approaching the Supreme Court after the elections are over. Claiming that Election Commission had instructed officials to arrest TMC leaders during the Assembly elections, the West Bengal Chief Minister said that she will approach the Supreme Court to hole fresh ‘neutral elections’ in the state.
In a press conference held via video conferencing, Mamata Banerjee questioned the role of the Election Commission in the state elections, alleging that the poll panel was working to help BJP. The CM alleged that the EC was trying to make sure that the TMC workers can’t vote against BJP.
‘I am appealing to everyone starting from Birbhum, Murshidabad, Malda, everywhere where elections are to be held, remain alert, take precaution from now on, on the one hand we have the war against Covid, on the other hand we have to fight against Election Commission who is conspiring to ensure that our people can’t vote,’ the TMC supremo said institgating her supporters against the constitutional body.
She further added, ‘if the police detain anyone illegally, their family members go to the police station and sit there, gherao the police station, ask why illegal detention has been done, if needed go to the court. We will move everywhere from the high court to the supreme court. File FIR as soon as someone is detained illegally’.
Mamata Banerjee had also recently demanded that the central government withdraws central forces from the poll-bound state because they are spreading COVID-19 in the state.