Calcutta HC for strict compliance of Covid-19 norms during election rallies

The Calcutta high court on Tuesday directed the chief electoral officer and all district magistrates in West Bengal to ensure strict implementation of Covid-related protocols amid political campaigns for the remaining four out of eight phases of assembly elections.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice of Calcutta high court Thottathil B Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee was responding to two writ petitions when it said: “What needs to be done is that the said guidelines are implemented in the strictest possible manner. This, the administration must do.”

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“We are dealing with an extraordinary situation and this calls for extraordinary measures,” it added.

The bench directed the district magistrates to ensure that the guidelines are “strictly implemented”, with the aid of police force, if required.

“If the administration finds a person, whether engaged in election campaigning or otherwise, flouting Covid-19 protocols, such person must be taken to task immediately,” the bench said.

The chief electoral officer, the bench added, would also be responsible for ensuring adherence to Covid protocols, directing it to file an affidavit on the measures taken to enforce the same on April 19.

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