Party files plea in SC to put off Bihar polls

September 07, 2020 20:53

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

The Rashtravadi Janata Party has filed a petition in the Supreme Court to direct the Election Commission to postpone the Bihar assembly elections, due in October-November, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The plea sought directions to hold the election sometime in March next year as the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic is still at its peak across the country.

The RJP, in its plea, said that at present Bihar is undergoing a flood situation and it will be better for the safety of the people to hold the election some time in March 2021 when the situation in the state is normalised, so that the citizens can participate and cast their votes safely and without there being any threat either of the pandemic or the floods.

"It is the duty of the government to provide safety to its citizen first and thereafter do any other activities. In the circumstances, the election in the State should be postponed and same can be held in the month of March, 2021 or at any time thereafter as and when the situation on account of the pandemic and the flood in the state is normalized," the plea said.

It stated that currently, most of the countries in the world are suffering from Covid-19 pandemic and India has almost become the epicentre of the pandemic.

"Further, on account of the heavy rain in most parts of the country including Bihar, rivers are over-flowing and causing a flood situation in the entire state, and consequently millions of peoples of the state have become homeless and they are also fighting for their bread and butter," the plea said.

"Therefore, under these extraordinary circumstances, the government should not take such a risk of giving them the burden of casting their votes in this dire situation," it added.

The petitioner also submitted that it gave a representation on June 30, 2020, to the Chief Election Commissioner to postpone the election but till date no decision on the representation has been taken.

Earlier, the top court had refused to entertain a plea seeking directions to the Election Commission to refrain from holding the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar "till the state is declared Covid-19 and flood free".

-- ANI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Raj Bhavan employee files molestation case against Bengal guv

Senior police officials said they received a complaint and are looking into it.

Intense heat sweeps east, south; more heat wave days likely in May

Intense heat swept through east India and parts of the southern peninsular region on Thursday, testing power grids and prompting the Kerala government to order closure of educational institutions till May 6.

Cummins hails Bhuvi's last-ball heroics

Defending 12 in the final over, Bhuvneshwar trapped Rovman Powell in front of the wicket in the last ball to stop Rajasthan Royal's run chase at 200 for 7 and pull off a heist in the end.

'Game never done till it's done': Samson rues loss

Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson said that even while it seemed his side was cruising to victory he was not certain they would get over the line given the unpredictable nature of the league.

In Pictures - SRH seal dramatic win, edge past RR by 1 run

IMAGES from the IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals played in Hyderabad on Thursday