The Supreme Court said that heavens won’t fall if the results of the UP Panchayat Elections is deferred for 2-3 weeks.
The results of the local bodies in UP were scheduled for May 2 along with the assembly election results of five states.
The Supreme Court had on Friday sought response from the Uttar Pradesh government and the state election commission (SEC) on a plea seeking direction for observance of COVID-19 protocols in counting of votes on Sunday.
The bench was hearing the appeal filed by one Sachin Yadav challenging the Allahabad High Court order which had allowed Panchayat elections to continue in the state.
“What measures will the State Election Commission take for counting," the bench asked. Referring to sudden rise in COVID-19 cases and the consequent burden on the healthcare sector, the plea has sough a stay on the Allahabad High Court order which had allowed the election to continue.
Uttar Pradesh has been reporting massive surge in fresh COVID-19 cases. Polling for the four-phased Panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh ended on April 29.
The first phase on April 15 and the second round on April 19 recorded a turnout of 71 per cent. In the third phase on April 26, 73.5 per cent of registered voters turned out to exercise their franchise, officials said.
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