New Delhi: The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court on Friday accepted an appeal filed by advocate Ajay Francis Loyola to ban bursting of firecrackers on counting day in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on May 2. The High Court expressed hope that political parties, media persons and citizens will follow corona protocol on the day of counting of votes for the Assembly elections on May 2.

The High Court also said that leaders of political parties will stop the fireworks workers in view of their position. Earlier on Thursday, the Madras High Court had taken a dig at the Central Government for its alleged negligence in taking immediate steps to prevent the corona epidemic and expressed surprise at what it had been doing for 14 months. Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee said that expert advice needs to be worked out and not on ad hoc basis.

The Tamilnadu government had told the High Court on Thursday that there is no need to impose a lockdown on Saturday, a day before the counting of votes for the April 6 assembly elections in the state, as May 1 is already a holiday on May Day. He also said that there will be a complete lockdown in the state on Sunday but there will be no restrictions for anyone related to counting on Sunday, May 2. It also includes officers, candidates and counting agents.

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