NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, APR 9
Considering the coronavirus situation, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Friday urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to postpone the upcoming polls to the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC).
Press Note: Aam Aadmi Party Gujarat appeals to the State Election Commission of Gujarat to postpone Gandhinagar elections, owing to rise in Covid_19.@gandhinagar_aap @Gopal_Italia @GulabMatiala @BHEMABHAI @manoj_sorathiya @HasmukhPatelAAP @shivkrupadhayay pic.twitter.com/ocKM8M6LFB
— Tuli Banerjee | તુલી બેનર્જી (@tulibanerjee_) April 8, 2021
Incidentally, the main Opposition Congress and Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had on Thursday urged the SEC to put off of the GMC polls citing surge in COVID-19.
गुजरात मे कोरोना संक्रमण बेकाबू है और अव्यवस्था का माहौल है फिरभी सरकार और @CEOGujarat गांधीनगर महानगरपालिका चुनाव करने की जिद्द पे है
अभी चुनाव नही,गांधीनगर की जनता की जान की सुरक्षा ज्यादा जरूरी है उस हेतु से हाईकोर्ट के सन्माननीय चीफ जस्टिस को पत्र लिखकर हस्तक्षेप करने की अपील pic.twitter.com/nzQEMxMsRD— Amit Chavda (@AmitChavdaINC) April 9, 2021
As per the SEC’s election schedule, polling for the GMC will be held on April 18, while counting will take place on April 20.
In view of the sudden spike in the COVID-19 cases, Rupani has written to the SEC, urging it to postpone the election to prevent the spread of the virus, a government release stated.
In the letter, Rupani said it is natural that political leaders and their supporters would gather in large numbers for poll campaigning.
Apart from this, several government employees would also be engaged in election-related work.
“In such a scenario, it is very much possible that COVID-19 infection would spread further. Hence, I urge the SEC to consider these factors and postpone the election to the GMC in larger public interest,” the CM said.
Notably, the Congress and the new entrant Aam Aadmi Party had already requested the SEC to postpone the election in view of the current COVID-19 situation.
