Uttarakhand High Court to hear a PIL on Jan 3 on deferring assembly polls

The Uttarakhand High Court will hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on January 3 seeking either postponement of assembly elections or conducting of electoral campaigns online, in view of the steadily rising Covid-19 cases brought on by the new Omicron variant.

The application was moved on a PIL that was filed almost two years ago on improving health infrastructure and other issues relating to the fight against the pandemic. The latest application is seeking court intervention in the upcoming poll process.

"The Chief Election Commissioner, New Delhi, has been made a party in this case," Shiv Bhatt, counsel for petitioner Sachdanand Dabral, told ET over phone from Nainital.


According to Bhatt, the counsels appearing for the EC and the state government have been asked to take instructions on the application.

The election rallies being held by all political parties in the state have been mentioned in the application.

"That the assembly elections in the state of Uttarakhand is going to be scheduled in the month of February-March, 2022 and for which as on date there are enormous 'election rallies' being held by all political parties," it says.

Highlighting the election rallies held at various parts of the state by the AAP, Congress and BJP, Bhatt pointed out that neither has social distancing been followed nor people worn masks.

Bhatt has also attached photographs of such rallies in his application.

According to the application, Omicron is spreading about 318% faster than the original virus.