'Consider Virtual Rallies & Online Voting': Uttarakhand High Court Tells Election Commission Amid Rising Covid-19 Cases

With upcoming assembly elections in the state of Uttarakhand in February-March 2022 and the rising Omicron cases in the Country, the Uttarakhand High Court has asked the Election Commission to consider virtual rallies and online voting as an alternative.

A division bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Alok Kumar Verma has given two-weeks' time to the Election Commission of India [ECI] to come up with instructions in the matter. The High Court also asked EC to consider issuing appropriate directions prohibiting large public rallies for the ensuing election.

The development ensued in an ongoing batch of PILs related to COVID-19 situation in the State. The bench was hearing an application moved through Advocate Shiv Bhatt seeking to postpone the upcoming assembly elections.

In the application, Bhatt made references to enormous Election Rallies being conducted in the state by political parties in light of the upcoming elections. The application sought that the campaigns and meetings be held virtually and in the alternative, the assembly elections be postponed.

Earlier, on December 29, the High Court had issued notice to the EC in the matter. The Standing Counsel had then apprised the High Court that a SOP has already been issued by the State of Uttarakhand in this regard.

The application also referred to the dismal state of medical infrastructure, low vaccination rates, and surge in cases of the new Omicron variant that is said to be spreading 318% faster (approximately) than the earlier original segments of the virus.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on January 12.

Case Title: Sh Sachdanand Dabral v. Union of India & Ors.

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