NEW DELHI: Taking note of the blatant violation of social distancing norms during campaigning in Bihar, the Election Commission has advised political parties to demonstrate utmost vigil and care during electioneering.
The commisson has asked the state election officers and the district machinery to take proper penal action against the candidates and the organizers if they fail to maintain crowd discipline.
The EC advisory came a day after PM Narendra Modi cautioned the people not to be careless as coronavirus is still prevalent.
The Commission has taken a serious view of the laxity on the part of political parties and candidates in terms of maintaining crowd discipline, and hereby reiterates and further advises them to demonstrate utmost vigil and care during electioneering, said the EC in a letter to all the parties contesting in Bihar.
CEOs and the district machinery would be expected by the commission to invoke appropriate and relevant penal provisions against the candidates concerned as well as the organizers responsible for such violations, it said.
On October 9, the Election Commission had sought the cooperation of all political parties to follow instructions related to pandemic COVID-19 at all stages, especially wherever public interface in physical form is involved. Observance of the preventive measures including wearing of masks, use of sanitizer, observance of social distancing is a duty cast upon all the stakeholders in the larger interest of public health. In para 4 of the aforementioned communication, it was specifically mentioned.
In its broad guidelines dated August 21, the commission also stated that non-compliance of instructions during the period of the public interface will attract actions as per provisions of Sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 besides invocation of Section 188 of IPC and other legal provisions.
However, the commission noted, “Instances of such public meetings have come to notice of the Commission, where a large number of crowds have assembled in utter violation of social distancing and the political leaders/campaigners are addressing the gathering without wearing masks in complete disregard of the guidelines/instructions issued by Election Commission.”
By doing so, the political parties and candidates are not only flouting the guidelines of the Commission with impunity but exposing themselves as well as the public attending the rallies/meetings to the danger of infection during the pandemic.