'Your Officers Should Be Booked For Murder': Election Commission Moves SC Against Madras HC's 'Derogatory' Remark

The Election Commission (EC) has moved to Supreme Court against the Madras High Court's remarks over gross negligence in enforcing the COVID-19 safety norms during the state elections and holding it solely responsible for the second wave.

The Madras High Court on Tuesday, April 27 said that the Election Commission officers were solely responsible for the second wave and should probably be "booked for murder" as they failed to enforce the COVID-19 safety norms during the Assembly elections in five states.

"Your institution is singularly responsible for the second wave of COVID-19. Your officers should be booked on murder charges probably," the Madras High Court told the EC.

The EC has called the remarks "baseless, disparaging and derogatory, and uncalled for". According to NDTV, the commission in its plea said, "despite being an independent constitutional authority made serious allegations of murder on another independent constitutional authority without any basis, which has ultimately dented both the institutions."

On Tuesday, a bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy observed that the EC failed to exercise its authority and did not take any action against political parties holding rallies despite the court orders to "maintain Covid protocol".

On Friday, the commission urged the High Court to refrain media from publishing the court's verbal observations and restrict the reportage to written orders. The request was rejected by the court.

The top court will hear the EC's plea against the Madras HC's remarks on Monday. Earlier, on Friday, the Supreme Court judge, Justice DY Chandrachud, said that courts must avoid making unnecessary remarks in sensitive cases.

Also Read: Madras HC Lashes At Election Commission For Allowing The Spread Of Virus Through Political Campaigns