Uttar Pradesh Gram Panchayat Elections During COVID- Supreme Court To Hear The Plea Tomorrow [Saturday], Issues Notice

Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the State of Uttar Pradesh and the State Election Commission in a plea challenging the Allahabad High Court order which allowed the Uttar Pradesh Gram Panchayat Elections to continue amidst the rising COVID-19 cases. A Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar heard the submissions of Advocate Shoeb Alam and directed for the matter to be taken up tomorrow, i.e. Saturday, at 10.30 AM. In today's hearing, Alam submitted to the Court that he was a victim of fait accompli as the elections had concluded and the counting of votes would begin day after. The Bench sought information of the Counsel appearing for the State Election Commission to which Alam responded that SEC had already been impleaded in the matter. Accordingly, the Bench issued notice to the State of UP and the SEC. The matter will be taken up at 10.30 AM tomorrow. A division Bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Ajay Rastogi heard the plea filed seeking an interim stay on the Allahabad High Court order allowing the election to continue and a deferral of the polls till the situation in the State returns to normal, due to rise in cases and the consequent toll on the healthcare sector. The petitioner also sought that the further phases of elections in the state are stayed until the State Election Commission is advised by the State Medical Department and independent doctors and that the situation 'is conducive' to complete the remaining phases of the elections. The petitioner also called upon the State Election Commission to take a decision immediately deferring the remaining phases of elections, as training and transit of the government employees would be likely to spread the virus to areas that are relatively less affected The petitioner stated that he had also submitted a representation to the UP State Election, which was not acted upon. According to the petition filed Sachin Yadav through Advocate Talha Abdul Rahman, the State is everyday observing highest record breaking single day surge in cases of the COVID cases, which has paralysed public life and all the medical aid systems have reached to a stage of complete saturation. The petitioner also cited Allahabad High Court's last year order whereby it had observed that priority is to be given to public health over elections and Government is expected to streamline every department of public health and public care in the light of the observations made. The plea alleged that due to a huge turn out and non compliance with COVID protocols the first phase of the election on April 15 the lives of "voters, officer on duty and others who came in their contact, was risked.

Uttar Pradesh Gram Panchayat Elections During COVID- Supreme Court To Hear The Plea Tomorrow [Saturday], Issues Notice

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