Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the State Election Commission to submit a report on the steps being taken to check the spread of Covid-19 during April 30 elections to seven urban local bodies.
The court expressed the apprehension that the municipal polls could add to the intensity of Covid wave in the state and asked the poll panel to inform the court about the steps being taken to contain the spread during polling.
The SEC was asked to submit a detailed report by April 29, providing details of the preventive steps being taken at polling booths and during the counting of votes.
Elections to the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation, the Khammam Municipal Corporation, and the Atchampet, Siddipet, Nakrekaral, Jadcherla and Kothur municipalities are being held on April 30.
The SEC is going ahead with the conduct of the polls despite demands by opposition parties, who fear that the elections could lead to a further spike in Covid cases.
The high court also expressed its unhappiness over the report submitted by the state government on Covid situation in the state, observing that the government has not provided the details in its report.
Voicing concern over the continuing surge in number of cases and deaths, the court again asked the government as to why it is not increasing the number of RT-PCR tests despite repeated directions.