New Delhi, May 2 (Agency) Taking cognisance of the media reports showing violation of COVID norms at various counting stations, the Election Commission on Sunday wrote to Chief Secretaries of all states to immediately prohibit the victory celebrations. “It has been brought to the attention of Commission through media that at certain locations in some states, public celebrations in the context of today’s counting are being carried out which is in contravention to the directions issued by the Election Commission…….Such activities must be prohibited urgently,” the poll body said in the letter.
The Commission also directed that responsible SHOs and other officers must be suspended immediately and criminal and disciplinary actions must be initiated against them. Counting of votes for Assembly elections in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry and bypolls to two Lok Sabha constituencies and 18 Assembly seats are currently underway. The social distancing norms were violated at numerous locations as soon as the election trends started pouring in from 0800 hrs.