SC allows UP panchayat elections counting after poll body's assurance

New Delhi, May 01: Supreme Court on Saturday allowed the process of counting of votes of Uttar Pradesh Gram Panchayat polls starting tomorrow while taking into note the assurance given by the State Election Commission that necessary measures will take place at counting centers in terms of COVID19 guidelines.

Declining to defer the counting of Gram Panchayat election in Uttar Pradesh, the top court directed the state to impose curfew till counting goes on in the centers.

The Supreme court took note of State Election Commission assurance that strict curfew will be imposed in areas that will be identified by the concerned authorities in and around counting centres to ensure that only authorised representatives will be able to visit counting centres.

The poll body has agreed to notify names of person who shall be in charge of concerned counting centres and will be responsible for the concerned centre.

The court also said that no rallies will be allowed after the announcement of the election results. "This assurance has been placed on record."

Earlier, the apex court pulled up the Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission ahead of the counting of votes for the panchayat elections in the state and said "heavens will not fall" if the counting is deferred considering the ongoing Covid crisis.