SC to hear plea for COVID-19 norms violation during Kumbh Mela, Election rallies on May 10

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea on Monday seeking directions for the imposition of strict COVID-19 norms and actions against the alleged violation of protocols during the Kumbh Mela and during the rallies conducted by the politicians during the assembly elections.

The three-judge bench headed by Justice Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and comprising of Justices Nageshwar Rao and Ravindra Bhat will hear the PIL filed on April 16 by Noida-based Advocate-on-Record (AOR), Sanjai Kumar Pathak.

Pathak had sought the Supreme Court to direct the Centre and the Uttarakhand government and to withdraw all advertisements inviting people to Kumbh. He also sought directions from SC to clear the mass gathering from Haridwar city due to Kumbh and to lay down a protocol for those returning from the Kumbh. He also pointed out that the Railways had also organised 25 special trains to link Haridwar Kumbh Mela to various locations for the pilgrims.

Pathak also sought directions to identify the people flouting COVID protocols during the election process and urged to take strict action against them. The Union Home Minister, the Chief Ministers of respective states and a host of star campaigners could be seen flouting the COVID-19 norms, Pathak said in his petition.

ECI failed to enforce the COVID-19 rules and regulations during the political rallies and campaigning, said Pathak holding ECI also responsible for the alarming surge of infections in the state.

The petitioner further sought a direction from the Apex Court to the Centre and state governments, to not encourage or promote any gathering or event inconsistent with the spirit and object of the COVID guidelines and or orders issued by the UOI and National Disaster Management Authority.

The Kumbh Mela was reduced to just one month and scaled down midway due to the raging pandemic. The “scaling down” is the first in recorded history of the mela, which is held once every twelve years in Haridwar. In normal circumstances, the Kumbh Mela is held over three months but this time began as late as April 1 and ended within a month due to concerns over COVID-19.

About 2,600 devotees tested positive out of the nearly two lakh tests conducted by medical personnel during the mela. Three shahi snan took place during the event on April 12, 14 and 27, the last one being reduced to a largely symbolic event, upon insistence of PM Narendra Modi in view of the rise in COVID-19 cases across the country.