EC orders FIR over celebratory congregations in anticipation of poll victory

As the results of the assembly polls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry triggered celebrations on Sunday, the Election Commission (EC) ordered the local authorities to strictly enforce the ban it had imposed on the victory processions in view of the second Covid-19 wave.

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The EC asked chief secretaries the police chiefs in the four states as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry to lodge First Information Reports (FIRs) and initiate penal action under the Disaster Management Act 2005 and other relevant laws against the representatives and followers of the political parties for violation of the prohibition on victory celebrations. The poll-panel also ordered the state governments to place under suspension the officers in charge of the respective police stations for failure to stop victory celebrations in their respective areas.

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The commission also wrote to the president and general secretaries of the political parties, urging them to ask their supporters to adhere to the Covid-19 safety protocols and refrain from celebrating poll victories.

The votes polled in the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, West Bengal and Puducherry were counted on Sunday. As the results started coming out, the supporters of the winning candidates and political parties started celebrating, flouting the Covid-19 safety protocols as well as the blanket ban the EC had imposed on victory rallies.

The EC expressed displeasure on the failure of the certain parties to abide by the extant instructions and guidelines.

The commission had banned victory rallies after declaration of poll results. It took the violations of the prohibition very seriously and again directed that all necessary actions must be taken to ensure strict compliance of its directions wherein all such activities (victory celebrations) had already been prohibited in view of the pandemic.

The counting process began at 8 am.