EC, Health Secretary to discuss COVID situation ahead of Assembly polls in 5 states

New Delhi: Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan reached the office of the Election Commission of India (ECI) for a meeting convened by the poll panel with senior officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to discuss the prevailing COVID-19 situation ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections in five states.

Assembly elections are due in five states including Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Goa and Punjab for next year.

"The Election Commission of India will convene a meeting on December 27 at 11 am with senior officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare including Secretary Rajesh Bhushan. The meeting will discuss the prevailing COVID19 situation for upcoming Assembly elections in five states," highly placed sources had earlier said.

Earlier, amid the COVID variant Omicron scare, the Allahabad High Court on Thursday requested the Election Commission of India to immediately postpone the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh for 1-2 months.

The court also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ECI to immediately ban rallies and public meetings of political parties in the state.