Assembly polls must be deferred due to rising Covid cases: Adish Aggarwala

New Delhi, Jan. 4 (Delhi Crown): Senior Advocate and Chairman of All India Bar Association Adish Aggarwala has made an appeal to defer the upcoming Assembly elections in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand till Omicron Covid-19 is over.

He said that day-by-day cases of Omicron Covid-19 are increasing rapidly. “But it is shocking to see that in a press conference in Lucknow on Dec. 30 Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said that there would be no delay in conducting the upcoming Assembly poll in the states after meeting the representatives of all the political parties who urged him to hold the elections on time,” said Aggarwala.

The second wave of Covid-19 was also spread by the negligence committed by the people of India during the election held in four states namely Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and one Union Territory namely Puducherry, he said and added – “The Election Commission of India did not bother for the health and safety of the people of India. Rather, the Assembly Elections were conducted as per the schedule without taking care of the health and life of citizens of India.”

Aggarwala further stated – “Now the 5 other States, namely Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are going to have Assembly elections as per the schedule without considering that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is gaining peak & health emergencies have been imposed in many Indian States and various other countries. Various countries, such as, China, The Netherlands, Germany etc. have imposed partial or complete Lockdown due to rising cases of Covid.” The senior advocate averred that the Election Commissioner of India has taken the decision to ensure the interest of political parties and not “We, the People of India”.

Article 21 of the Constitution of India mandates Right to Life and no Constitutional authority shall violate this most valuable Right, concluded Aggarwala.

Bureau

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