Assembly Elections 2021 | EC writes to chief secretaries of states, UTs to prohibit victory celebrations urgently

A general view of Election Commission of India office in New Delhi. (Image: PTI)

The Election Commission of India on May 2 again issued a directive to State Chief Secretaries on prohibition of victory celebrations in view of counting of votes.

The ECI has taken serious note of reports coming in of congregations of people to celebrate anticipated victory. ECI has directed CS of all 5 states to file FIR in each such case, suspend SHO of the concerned PS and report action taken immediately of each such incidence.

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ECI instructions to State Chief Secretaries... pic.twitter.com/lri4rlsoee

— Sheyphali Sharan (@SpokespersonECI) May 2, 2021

Earlier in the day, TMC supporters  in West Bengal began celebrations outside TMC supremo’s residence in Kolkata's Kalighat after the party reportedly took lead in 202 Assembly seats in the initial rounds of counting of votes.

As per the latest reports, CM Mamata Banerjee has taken a marginal lead over BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram assembly constituency. Adhikari, a former aide to Banerjee, was leading for most part of the morning.

The Election Commission (EC) on April 27 issued an order banning all kinds of victory celebrations and processions on and after May 2. The Commission in its order said, "In view of the surge in COVID-19 cases throughout the country, it has decided to make more stringent provision to be followed during the process of counting, in addition to exiting Broad Guidelines issued earlier in August, 2020."

Banerjee, who is seeking a third term in office, has left Bhabanipur constituency in Kolkata to fight from Nandigram, the epicentre of an anti-land acquisition movement that catapulted her party to power in 2011 ending the 34-year-long Left Front rule.