A Petition Seeking Deferment of The Bihar Assembly Elections Due To Covid-19 And Floods Was Refused By The Supreme Court.
The Court raised the question that the prayer can not be granted when the notification for holding of elections has not even been issued yet. Moreover, the Bench opined that COVID-19 cannot be the reason for deferring polls and that the Election Commission of India (ECI) would factor in the prevailing situation while announcing dates for the poll.
The petitioner highlighted the steps taken by the authorities in various other countries where important national events stood deferred or cancelled on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, the court replied that ECI would take care of all the situations.
The petitioner had further raised the question whether it is the ECI exercising its power under Article 324 of the Constitution, or the President or the Governor that decides the schedule for polls after the ECI’s recommendation.
Lawcutor 