Soni Satti
In a case involving the COVID protocol for vote counting in Tamil Nadu, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has petitioned the Madras High Court for instructions to be given to media houses to limit their coverage.
It sought the court to limit the findings reported in orders or judgments and to refrain from reporting on oral observations made during court proceedings.
The petition was filed in the wake of widespread coverage of the Madras High Court’s April 26 oral observations that the ECI is solely responsible for the current COVID-19 situation in India.
The Madras High Court had observed that the EIC should most likely be charged with murder for failing to ensure COVID-19 protocol enforcement during election rallies.
The Election Commission stated, ‘‘The media reports have tarnished the image of the ECI as an independent constitutional agency that is entrusted with the constitutional responsibility of conducting elections,’’
The Madras High Court held The Election Commission ‘singularly’ responsible for the spread of Covid-19 in the region, The Court labelled EC “the most irresponsible institution” and also said that its members could be charged with murder.
As per the affidavit filed by Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo, the said oral observation was not finally registered in the order passed that day in the event, which was concerned with the adherence to COVID-19 protocol during the counting of votes in the Karur constituency.
The Election Commission is concerned that media coverage of the Court’s oral statements that the ECI is “singularly responsible for the current situation” and that the ECI “should be placed up for murder charges” has caused serious harm to the Commission.
The Election Commission further stated that after newspaper articles were released about the Court’s oral statements, a criminal lawsuit was lodged alleging murder against a Deputy Election Commissioner.
The ECI lastly stated that no one should be allowed to report on court cases that aren’t supported by the record, particularly when the Court makes the comprehensive order available the next day.
