Karnataka High Court asks political parties to frame SOPs

The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday said the political parties should formulate standard operating procedure (SOP) and also instruct party workers to follow the same. The court again issued notice to Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha which failed to appear.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka was hearing the PIL filed by Letzkit Foundation, a Bengaluru-based NGO, praying for directions to strictly implement the provisions of SOP issued in view of Covid-19. The court said the political parties, which hold rallies and meetings, should issue necessary instructions to their workers and followers in the backdrop of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic situation.

The court also asked other political parties, arrayed as respondents in the PIL, to submit their response. The next hearing on the PIL has been posted to March 1.