Expressing concern that the enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour in West Bengal has been “less than adequate”, the Election Commission on Saturday directed officials to ensure strict action under state and national disaster management laws for Covid-compliant behaviour.
The issues were flagged at a meeting held by Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar with top state government officials to review enforcement of COVID guidelines during campaigning in West Bengal where two remaining phases of assembly elections are to take place next week.
“The Commission noted with concern that during public campaigns for electioneering, the enforcement under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 has been less than adequate,” a statement issued by the poll panel said. The meeting was held just a couple of days after the poll panel placed a ban on roadshows and ‘padyatras’ and placed a cap on the number of persons attending public meetings to 500. The seventh and the last phase of polls will take place on April 26 and 29, respectively.
During the meet, the Commission was informed that besides other essentials, 2,46,88,000 face masks, 17,05,851 face shields and lakhs of sanitiser bottles for polling personnel, and 9,00,00,000 single hand plastic gloves for electors (considering 85 percent turnout), have been procured to ensure COVID safe polls.
The Calcutta High Court has expressed dissatisfaction with the EC over enforcement of COVID-19 health safety norms during the ongoing West Bengal assembly election process, including campaigning.
The Executive Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority, chaired by the state chief secretary, which is tasked with the enforcement of COVID-19-appropriate behaviour under the 2005 law, needs to step up its assigned statutory duty, the EC statement said on Saturday.