LUCKNOW — The Allahabad High Court on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission (EC) to look for ways to “postpone” the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh by a couple of months and ban all political rallies in other poll-bound states amid rising cases of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country.
Observing “Jaan hain toh Jahaan hain”, a single-judge bench of Justice Shekhar Yadav said that Omicron cases in India are rising and there is a possibility of a third wave. It also gave examples of China, the Netherlands and Germany that have imposed complete or partial lockdowns due to the rising COVID-19 cases.
“Election rallies of political parties should be banned to save the public from the third wave of Corona in the assembly elections to be held in Uttar Pradesh. They should be asked to campaign through TV and newspapers,” the High Court observed, as reported by Bar and Bench.
“ECI should take strict steps to stop the election meetings and rallies of the parties. Also consider postponing the election, because only if there is life, the world is meaningful,” the High Court said.
The High Court also highlighted the havoc caused by the second wave during the 2021 assembly polls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry and the gram panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh. It also observed that no it is not possible to follow COVID protocols, including social distancing, during the political rallies.
However, the court, which made the observations while allowing the bail plea of a person named Sanjay Yadav, lauded PM Modi for his efforts in the “free vaccination” drive in India, but requested him to ban rallies, postpone polls and take strong measures in view of the pandemic situation.
“The Prime Minister of our country, has run the campaign of free corona vaccination in a country with a huge population like India, which is commendable and the court praises him and request the Hon’ble Prime Minister to take strong steps in view of the situation of this dreadful epidemic, and consider exploring possibility to stop and postpone rallies, meetings and the upcoming elections because unless there is life, there is no meaning to the world,” it said, as reported by Bar and Bench.