Election Commission asks parties to prohibit celebrations

KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) directed the political party leaders to strictly prohibit victory celebrations in view of the pandemic situation. The commission has also instructed the political parties to strictly comply with the other directions given earlier.

Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Sunday evening urged the party workers not to gather in any place and follow the Covid protocols strictly.

The ECI on Sunday sent letters to the political party leaders of the four states and a Union Territory to take immediate action to stop victory celebrations as it had learnt that in some states political party supporters and workers were celebrating the victory, violating the directions.

The Commission again reminded the political parties about the directions and also mentioned that the Chief Secretary and Director Generals of Police of the states, where elections were conducted, had already been directed to take penal actions including FIR against the violators under the Disaster Management Act.

However, no victory rallies or any major gatherings were reported from any part of Bengal.

Police did not allow anybody to gather as per the directives of the ECI.