COVID-19 surge: All victory processions banned by EC on counting day

New Delhi, Apr 27: The Election Commission of India on Tuesday banned all victory processions on or after the day of counting of votes for the five-state assembly elections, scheduled on May 2 amid COVID-19 surge. A detailed order on the ban on victory processions across the country would be out soon.

"Not more than two persons shall be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his/her authorised representative receive the certificate of election from the Returning Officer concerned," a notification from EC said.

Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry that went to polls will have the results on May 2.

The poll body ban on victory processions comes a day after the Madras High Court pulled up the Election Commission for allowing political rallies to be conducted amid the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic in the country.

In stinging remarks, the court said EC officials may be booked under murder charges too.

The order comes at a time the country witnessing a severe second wave of Covid-19 that has been claiming over 2,000 lives on a daily basis for the past several days.

India recorded 3,23,114 COVID-19 cases on Monday with 2,771 deaths in the last 24 hours. According to the health ministry, 2,51,827 people recovered from the deadly virus and the tally of recovery stands at 1,45,56,209 in India.