Amid Covid surge, EC bans victory processions after poll results are declared

Amid Covid surge, EC bans victory processions after poll results are declared

T

he Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday banned all victory processions on or after the counting of votes on May 2 of all the states and Union Territory- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry, where polls were conducted between March 27 and April 29.

The EC issued an order to the Chief Electoral Officers that not more than two persons shall be allowed to accompany the winning candidate while receiving the election certificate from the concerned Returning Officer. Before the polls were conducted, the EC had issued an order regarding the protocols to be followed during the campaigns but the rules were breached by most political parties.

Madras High Court on Monday accused the poll body for remaining silent when the Covid protocols were being broken by several political parties during the political campaigns and sought a plan from the EC by Friday to enforce Covid rules on May 2. The High Court warned that without the plan, the counting could also be stopped.