EC takes action against victory celebrations amid COVID; files FIR, suspends cop in TN

As warned earlier in the day, the Election Commission of India on Sunday filed an FIR in Tenyampet Police Station in Thyagaraya Nagar district of Greater Chennai against the cadres of a political party who had burst crackers near their party headquarters. Not just this, the regulatory body placed under suspension inspector of Teynampet PS for dereliction of duty. 

Earlier on Sunday, the ECI had come down heavily on victory celebrations and gatherings by political parties amid counting of votes in poll-bound assembly constituencies directing the Chief Secretaries of all respective States/UT to file an FIR against the violators. Moreover, the EC also directed the Chief Secretaries to suspend SHOs of the areas where the gatherings had taken place and report any such violations to the EC. 

"ECI takes serious note of reports coming in of congregation(s) of people to celebrate anticipated victory. EC has directed Chief Secretaries of all 5 states to file FIR in each such case, suspend concerned SHO and report the action taken immediately of each such incidence," said the ECI in an official statement. 

This had come in reaction to the supporters of the DMK, who were found celebrating outside party headquarters in Chennai, despite the ban imposed by EC amid COVID, after official trends showed them leading on 118 seats in Tamil Nadu elections. Similar celebrations were also witnessed in West Bengal after TMC supporters were spotted dancing on the roads of Kalighat in Kolkata over the initial leads. 

EC bans all victory processions during & after May 2

EC had banned all victory processions on and after May 2 on Tuesday following the Madras High Court (HC) order asking the poll body to prepare a blueprint of how COVID-19 protocols would be followed on the day of vote counting for 5 assembly elections. As per the notice issued by the EC, not more than two 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.

(Credit-PTI/ANI)