Election Commission of India bans victory processions in view of COVID-19 surge [Read Notification]

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has notified that no victory processions would be permitted after the counting of votes of the legislative assembly election results in various States, in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases in India.The notification issued on Tuesday stated the following:1. No victory procession after the counting on 2.5.2021 shall be permitted.2. No more than two persons shall be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his/her authorized representative receive the certification of election from the Returning Officer concerned..The ECI told the same to the Calcutta High Court, which has been dealing with pleas concerning the maintenance of COVID-19 protocol during the election season. Senior Counsel Rakesh Dwivedi appeared for the ECI. .[West Bengal Assembly Elections] ECI restrictions on public behavior, COVID-19 protocol to be strictly followed: Calcutta High Court.The Calcutta High Court noted that the restrictions imposed by the ECI by its order passed today should be strictly followed by all governmental authorities. .The development came a day after the Madras High Court rapped the ECI for having failed to act against the violation of COVID-19 safety norms during election rallies and campaigns. ."Election Commission should be put up on murder charges:" Madras High Court on ECI's failure to stop "abuse" of COVID norms in election rallies.Mincing no words, Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee had orally observed that the ECI was singularly responsible for the second wave of COVID-19 and should probably be put up for murder charges..“You are the only institution that is responsible for the situation today. No action against political parties taking rallies despite every order of the Court. Your election commission should be put up on murder charges probably!” the Chief Justice had remarked. .Speaking to the ECI's standing counsel, the Chief Justice queried, "Were you on another planet when political rallies were being held?".In an order passed subsequently on plea concerning the adherance of COVID-19 protocol during vote counting at Karur, the Bench had also recorded:"Despite repeated orders of this court going on like a broken record at the foot of at least every election petition entertained that COVID protocol ought to be maintaining during the campaign time the significance of adhering to such protocol may have been lost on the Election Commission going by the puerile silence on the part of the Commission as campaigns and rallies were conducted without distancing norms being maintained and in wanton disregard of the other items of the protocol .... At no cost can the counting result in a catalyst for a further surge, politics or no politics, and whether the counting takes place in a staggered manner or is deferred. Public health is of paramount importance and it is distressing that constitutional authorities have to be reminded in such regard.".[Read the ECI Notification]