U.P. panchayat poll: Social distancing norms go for a toss during counting

In some districts, supporters of the candidates also assembled near the centres in large numbers despite warnings by the State Election Commission

Social distancing norms to curb the COVID-19 infection appeared to go for a toss in Uttar Pradesh’s centres where votes for the panchayat polls are being counted on Sunday. Visuals from various districts such as Azamgarh, Siddharthnagar, Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Amethi, Jalaun, Fatehpur, Gonda and Sitapur showed a large number of people gathering outside or lining up at the gates of the counting centres in close physical proximity to each other. People were seen very close to each other in the long queues. In some districts, supporters of the candidates also assembled near the centres in large numbers despite warnings by the State Election Commission (SEC).