Allahabad HC issues notice to UP poll body over Covid-related death of 135 people on election duty

Taking cognizance of reported deaths of 135 teachers, shiksha mitras and investigators due to COVID during Panchayat poll duty in Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court has issued notices to State Election Commission seeking explanation over non-compliance of covid guidelines and asked why action should not be taken against it and its officials for the same.

“It is reported that during recent phases of panchayat elections, Covid guidelines were violated. It appears that neither the police nor, Election Commission did anything to save the people on election duty from getting infected by this deadly virus, ” a two-judge bench comprising Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Ajit Kumar sternly observed.

Commenting on the unfolding health crisis, the bench said, “If after seven decades of attaining freedom, with so many heavy industries in place, we are unable to provide oxygen to our citizens, it is a matter of shame.”

For easing the situation, the court proposed some immediate steps to be taken by the government in the cities of Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Agra, Kanpur Nagar, Gorakhpur and Jhansi.

“Major government hospitals of the above cities should have a health bulletin system twice a day apprising people of health updates of patients to help attendants avoid visiting hospitals. The hospitals may use large screens to give details of patients and their saturation levels,” it directed.

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“The government is also directed to declare on the district portal of the above cities the position of occupied and vacant beds in COVID wards and ICUs of all government hospitals and COVID assigned private hospitals,” the court said.

Underling the need of urgent remedial measures on part of government, the court observed, “We make it clear that we will not tolerate paperwork or public announcements to show the account of steps taken and its sufficiency.