BJP chief Nadda responds on EC's decision banning Election 2021 victory rallies amid COVID

Reacting to the Election Commission's ban on all the victory processions during and after Assembly elections 2021 results, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President JP Nadda on Tuesday took to his official Twitter handle and said that he welcomes the decision. He said that the saffron party welcomes the decision to ban the victory procession following the results. "I have directed all the state units of the BJP to abide by this decision. Every worker of ours will be continuously engaged in the service of the common man in this hour of crisis," he added. 

JP Nadda: 'BJP will abide by ECI's decision'

Stating that BJP units of all the states will follow the ECI order and COVID-19 protocols on May 2, Nadda said, "I urge all activists and countrymen to follow more and more health regulations and increase awareness." This statement by the BJP's National President JP Nadda comes after the Election Commission on Tuesday imposed a ban on all victory processions as the Madras High Court (HC) had held the poll body responsible for the sudden surge in COVIID-19 cases across the country. 

EC bans all victory processions during & after May 2

After the Madras High Court (HC) asked the Election Commission (ECI) to prepare a blueprint of how COVID protocols would be followed on the day of vote counting for 5 assembly elections, the poll body on Tuesday banned all victory processions on and after May 2. As per the notice issued by the EC, not more than 2 people will be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his/her authorised representative to receive the certificate of election from the Returning Officer concerned.

Earlier on Monday, the Madras HC had pulled up the EC for "not stopping political parties" COVID-19 protocols during their campaign rallies for Assembly polls in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. 

Read the full notice here:

Madras HC holds ECI responsible for second COVID wave

The Madras High Court pulled up the Election Commission of India (ECI) for not stopping political parties from conducting rallies even as COVID cases continued to surge and noted that the EC was singularly responsible for the second wave of the pandemic. Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee noted that it was distressing to remind constitutional authorities that public health was paramount and warned of stopping the counting of votes on May 2 if COVID protocols were not followed.

The Madras HC further directed EC and Tamil Nadu's CEO to hold meetings with the state's health secretary in order to create a plan, which will ensure that COVID protocols were followed and asked ECI to submit the blueprint before the Court on April 30. Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee opined that the ECI officials should be 'booked on murder charges probably' for allowing political rallies amid COVID-19.

"Were you on another planet when the election rallies were held?", Chief Justice of Madras High Court asked ECI.

"Public health is of paramount importance and it is distressing that constitutional authorities have to be reminded in such regard. It is only when a citizen survives that he'll be able to enjoy the rights that a democratic republic guarantees", Chief Justice told ECI.

COVID-19 crisis in India

As the world continues to battle against the Coronavirus pandemic, India so far has recorded over 1,73,13,163 positive cases, out of which, 1,43,04,382 have successfully recovered, while 1,95,123 have died. As per the latest reports from MoHFW, in the past 24 hours, 3,52,991 new cases, 2,19,272 fresh recoveries and 2,812 deaths have been reported. Currently, the total number of active cases across the country is 28,13,658. 

(Image: PTI, Twitter-@CEOdelhioffice)