The Election Commission on Friday flagged instances of star campaigners and political leaders not wearing masks and not following COVID appropriate behaviour while campaigning. The EC asked them to follow in all seriousness the safety guidelines. The remarks by the election commission came after India on Tuesday witnessed polling in four states and one union territory and a steep surge of coronavirus cases in the country. 

The poll panel, in a letter to leaders of all recognised political parties, said, “It is widely known that in the recent weeks, COVID cases are being reported in larger numbers. However, instances of election meetings/campaigns have come to the notice of the commission, where norms of social distancing, wearing of masks have been flouted in disregard to the commission’s guidelines.”

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The EC in the letter pointed out instances of star campaigners, political leaders, or candidates not following COVID-related protocols which include “non-wearing of masks themselves at stage or while campaigning.”

“By doing so, the political parties and candidates are exposing themselves as well as the public attending such election meetings to the grave danger of the infection,” the letter said.

The COVID-19 tally of India went past 13 million cases, as in the last two months it recorded a steep surge in cases, which in parallel to polling in different states with the regular campaigns of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and other famous leaders. 

After Tuesday’s voting, elections have ended in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry while West Bengal is holding its phase 4 elections on Saturday and is left with four more rounds ahead of results on May 2.