The Manipur State Council of CPI on Friday stressed the need for formulating a special COVID-19 SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to be enforced in the state during the by-election. The party also reaffirmed its stand of not fielding its candidates in the upcoming by-elections in view of the grim situation of the pandemic in the state.
Even as 13 seats of the Manipur Legislative Assembly are lying vacant, the ECI recently announced holding of by-elections to only two Assembly constituencies– Lilong assembly constituency and Wangjing-Tentha assembly constituency – on November 7.
The CPI, in a statement, expressed strong resentment over the ECI decision of holding by-elections to only two Assembly constituencies. “It is not reasonable to hold by-elections to only two Assembly constituencies even as 13 seats are lying vacant in the Manipur Legislative Assembly,” the party said in the statement.
At the same time, as the by-election schedule was announced while people of the state are facing immense hardship due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, CPI said it will stay away from participating in the elections.
The party had already announced its stand of not fielding candidates if the by-elections are held amid the fight against the pandemic, it reminded, and added the party will not review its decision as the ECI had decided to go ahead with the by-elections despite the grim situation of the pandemic.
“As the ECI decided to go ahead with the by-elections, there is the need for formulating a special COVID-19 SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) which should be enforced in the Assembly constituencies where by-elections are to be conducted”, the statement added. NNN