The Election Commission of India on Wednesday called an all-party meet in West Bengal in the wake of second wave of COVID in the country and is expected to be attended by leaders from all parties which are contesting the ongoing elections in West Bengal.

The meet came after the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday used the words “extraordinary situation” when dealing with two PILs on the matter of election campaigning amidst the worsening COVID-19 situation.

In the meeting there will be discussions about the election campaigning amidst the worsening COVID-19 situation. Sources said the poll panel is expected to tell the political parties to strictly follow COVID-19 norms when campaigning for the remaining four phases of the West Bengal Assembly Election 2021.

"We are dealing with an extraordinary situation and this calls for extraordinary measures," the division bench, which also comprised Justice Arijit Banerjee, observed.

"We request the members of all political parties and all candidates who are contesting the Assembly Elections and who hold meetings and travel across the state for campaigning purpose, to ensure that at every gathering people present wear mask and maintain the safe distancing norms," the division bench directed.

On Tuesday, Calcutta High Court had issued directions that all coronavirus-related guidelines should be followed in the strictest possible manner while undertaking election campaigning.

Earlier, Gujarat High Court indicated that the "state is heading towards a health emergency of sorts" and directed the government to ramp up testing.

Hearing on suo motu PIL on the COVID-19 situation in the state, the HC said, "We're not satisfied with government's policy. Something needs to be corrected so that people can do something about this pandemic. Court also says that it will meet next on Thursday, 15th April to check what actions are taken by government".

The court also suggested ways to curb COVID cases in the state and instructed the state to cap number of people at weddings at 50, make booth at housing societies to check people's health, take help of religious centres that can provide COVID care centre and isolation facility.

'People now think that they are at God's mercy,' a division bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Bhargav Karia said while hearing a PIL, taken up suo motu (on its own), on the coronavirus situation in the state.

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