Omicron Scare on Assembly Elections in Five States, Election Commission to Meet Health Ministry Officials Today
In the next year i.e. in the year 2022, assembly elections are going to be held in five states (Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Tripura, Goa and Manipur). Ahead of the elections, the global pandemic coronavirus and its new variant Omicron have raised the concern of the government as well as the Election Commission.
Coronavirus
Coronavirus is the major reason why the Election Commission wants to be completely convinced before the announcement of the dates for the elections. Therefore, the Election Commission has called a meeting with senior officials of the Ministry of Health on 27 December 2021 (Monday). Top officials of the health department have also been called to the meeting.
Members of Election Commission will review the situation of Corona
Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare
Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare will also be present in this meeting. In the meeting to be held with the officials, the members of the Election Commission will review the situation of Corona in the country. Based on the feedback of health department officials, the commission will make a decision regarding holding elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Tripura, Goa and Manipur.
Assembly elections were held in West Bengal in early 2021. There used to be a huge crowd of people in the rally organized by all the political parties. By the time the sixth phase of the elections to be held in eight phases approached, the corona pandemic started happening in Bengal. The Election Commission was heavily criticized for the rapid increase in the cases of corona infection.
After facing criticism, the Election Commission had to limit the campaign. Rallies were also banned. The Election Commission does not want this time to face criticism like elections in Bengal again. It is to be known that the cases of corona are increasing rapidly. The Omicron variant is feared separately.