EC reviews COVID, law and order situation in poll-bound states, stresses on need for vaccinations

The Election Commission on Thursday reviewed the Covid situation with the Union health secretary and health experts and emphasised the need for vaccination of all eligible people in five poll-bound states, sources said.

In a separate meeting, the poll panel also discussed the law and order situation in the five states -- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur -- with Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla. Besides Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, the meeting to assess the Covid situation was also attended by AIIMS director Randeep Guleria and ICMR's Balram Bhargava, sources aware of the interactions said.

The poll panel carried out a "complete review" of the Covid status and took inputs from medical experts on safety measures to be ensured during campaigning and polling. It stressed to the health secretary the need to ensure complete vaccination for all eligible persons, the sources said. In an earlier meeting with Bhushan on December 27, the poll panel had asked him to ramp up the vaccination drive in the five states.