SC says COVID can't be ground for postponing polls, dismisses PIL for deferring Bihar elections

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court rejected a petition seeking deferment of Bihar Vidhan Sabha elections slated to be held later this year owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Refusing to entertain the plea, the Apex court observed that Covid-19 cannot be a ground to stop elections.

The Court refused to interfere with the Chief Election Commissioner’s power to hold assembly elections in Bihar later this year.


“This court can’t tell CEC what to do. CEC will consider everything,” the court observed.

Describing the petition as “premature”, the Court remarked “No notification has been issued. How can we ask the Election Commission to not hold elections? Covid is not a valid reason for the postponement of the Bihar election."

The Apex Court observed that the Election Commission will take all the necessary precautions and consider everything.

The petitioner, Avinash Thakur, had sought a direction to the Chief Election Commissioner to postpone the Bihar Vidha Sabha polls, due by November, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. He had contended that the Representation of the People Act provides for the deferment of polls in extraordinary situations.