With counting of votes underway in four states and one Union territory for the 2021 Assembly polls, the Election Commission (EC) has written to Chief Secretaries of all states asking them to “prohibit victory celebrations urgently.”
As per news agency ANI the EC has directed that the responsible officers and SHOs must be placed under suspension and disciplinary action must be initiated against them.
The Commission stated that the celebrations are in contravention of directions issued by the EC on 28 April.
COVID Norms Flouted in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu
As early trends predicted leads for the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and for the DMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu, party workers and supporters in both the states took to streets to celebrate their victories, in complete violation of COVID-19 norms.
TMC supporters gathered at Kalighat in West Bengal’s capital Kolkata to celebrate, as the party leads in over 200 seats in the state.
Similarly, DMK supporters continued to celebrate outside party headquarters in Chennai as official trends show the party leading in over 140 seats.
- 01/02Celebrations outside DMK headquarters in Arivalayam,(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)
- 02/02Celebrations outside DMK headquarters in Arivalayam,(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)
Earlier on 27 April, amid a surge of COVID cases in India, the Election Commission had banned all victory processions on or after the day of counting of votes for the Assembly elections.
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