The Delhi High Court, Image credit: PTI
New Delhi: Congress leader Jagdish Sharma has filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court seeking postponement of assembly elections in the five states, citing the third wave of COVID-19.
Sharma, who has also floated the Rahul Priyanka Sena, has in the petition urged the court to issue directions to postpone the elections as the Omicron variant is spreading fast.
He also sought directions to ask the central and state governments to submit the plan for the distribution of essential supplies and services during the third wave of the pandemic which is expected in the next 10 days.
He asked the court to direct the governments to submit the plan for availability and distribution of oxygen and to give directions to the Election Commission to postpone the polls for a few weeks or months in all the five states.
"The court should order a writ in the nature of mandamus, thereby directing the Election Commission to postpone the election for few months/weeks in all five states," Sharma said in his petition.
"The court should also order a writ in the nature of mandamus, thereby directing the Delhi government to issue a direction for 14 days or less quarantine for the people returning from the states where the election is commenced -- Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Goa," he added.
Sharma also sought directions from the court to the central government to submit the plan for the arrangement to handle the upcoming Covid wave.
He cited the devastation caused during the second wave when a large number of people lost their lives due to a shortage of beds and oxygen as the virus spread rapidly in the country.
The Congress leader also pointed out inadequacies in the arrangements to prevent the spread of the virus and for treating the Covid patients.
The assembly elections in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur are starting from February 10 and will end on March 7. The results will be out on March 10.