SC dismisses PIL for deferring Bihar polls: 'COVID is no ground for postponing elections'

Stating that COVID-19 cant be a ground for postponing elections, Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a PIL seeking to defer Bihar assembly polls till state is free of vel coronavirus. Three judge bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R S Reddy and M R Shah said that it is a premature petition as tification for assembly polls has been issued till w.  Election Commission of India will consider everything,  apex court said. Dismissing PIL, top court said that  writ can be applied like this as a decision on polls has t been taken yet by EC. 

“How can we ask Election Commission of India (ECI) to t hold elections? COVID cant be a valid ground for postponement of elections,” bench stated.

petitioner, Avinash Thakur, had sought a direction to Chief Election Commissioner to postpone polls due to COVID-19 pandemic on ground that Representation of People Act provides for deferment of polls in extraordinary situations. petitioner's counsel had argued that elections are t paramount but human life is, and even MLAs and common people are suffering due to COVID-19 pandemic.

READ | EC releases guidelines for voting, campaign, postal ballots and counting votes amid COVID

Bihar assembly elections 

Bihar will go to polls amid COVID-19 pandemic, with EC releasing guidelines for conducting polls. As BJP lost in Delhi, all eyes are set on former party chief Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar -led JDU. While Kumar faces strong anti-incumbency, RJD - Bihar's main opposition has lost luster it once had due to absence of it's chief Lalu Prasad Yadav - with his son Tejashwi, most likely to be named as CM hopeful.  Currently, JDU-BJP combination rules state with 131 seats, while RJD-Congress opposition has 111 seats.

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EC Releases Guidelines For Voting amid COVID

Gearing up for Election season, Election Commission of India (ECI), released detailed guidelines for polling amid Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Limiting 1000 electors per booth, ECI has outlined specific guidelines for polling stations, postal ballots, poll campaigns, and counting of votes. Bihar will go to polls in October-vember this year, as pandemic rs on.

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ECI's Guidelines for polling booths

Polling station guidelines:

• Mandatory sanitization of Polling Station, rmal Scanner at entry point, and checking of voters at entry point  by polling staff or Para Medical staff or Asha worker. If temperature is above set rms, elector shall be provided with a token/certificate and will be asked to come for voting at last  hour of poll where voting will be facilitated following COVID-19 measures.
• Marker to demonstrate social distancing for queue - earmarking circle for 15-20 persons of 2 yards (6 feet) distance for voters.
• Soap, Water and sanitiser shall be provided at entry/exit point of every polling station. Face masks to be kept in  reserves for those electors t carrying one
• Awareness posters on COVID-19 should be displayed at visible locations
• Sitting arrangement in polling station for polling personnel as per social distancing. If polling nt or counting nt is having temperature, he shall be relieved.
• At any given time, only 1(one) voter shall be allowed to stand in front of each polling official and voter may have to lower mask for identification.
• Hand gloves shall be provided to voter, for signing on voter register and pressing button of EVM for voting.
• COVID-19 patients who are quarantined will be allowed to cast ir vote at last hour of poll day, under supervision of health authorities. Guidelines for voters in containment zones to be issued separately.
• Postal ballot option has w been extended to voters with disabilities, above 80 years, employed in essential services, voters who are COVID- 19 positive/suspect and in quarantine (home/ institutional)

Read full guidelines here: ECI guidelines for COVID

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