Plea in SC seeks deferral of Bihar polls to March 2021, cites Covid, floods

New Delhi: The Rashtravadi Janata Party (RJP) has moved a plea in the Supreme Court seeking postponement of the Bihar assembly elections scheduled for October-November to March next year in the backdrop of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the floods that are ravaging the state.

The plea said: "It will be better for the safety of the people of India to hold the said election sometime in the month of March, 2021 when the situation in the state is somewhat normalised so that the citizens can participate and cast their votes safely and without there being any threat either of the pandemic or the flood."

The petitioner submitted that most countries in the world are suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic at present and India has almost become the epicentre. "India is a developing country and has a vast population and taking into consideration the vast population and the medical facilities available in our country in comparison to the developed countries like USA and other European Countries, there is every likelihood that this pandemic will go on further and consequently the life of the people of India is in danger," the plea contended.

Citing the flood situation in the state, the plea said millions have become homeless and their livelihood has been hit. Therefore, under these extraordinary circumstances, the government should not burden them to cast their votes. "To hold elections at this time when the pandemic is at its peak and the condition of the peoples is miserable not only on account of the Coronavirus pandemic but also on account of the flood in the State. This dual strike by Nature has thrown the lives of the peoples in a precarious condition," said the plea.

The plea, moved through RJP President and advocate Binay Kumar Das, states that a representation citing these concerns was made before the Election Commission on June 30, but hasn't elicited any reply yet.