SP In Dock Over Covid Protocol Violation: Akhilesh Yadav Appeals To All To Follow EC Guidelines

The notice was put under Section 144 in view of violation of the model code of conduct and Covid-19 protocol by the Samajwadi Party earlier on Friday.

Visual from the Samajwadi Party headquarters in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow on Friday. (PTI)

New Delhi: Hours after the Lucknow Police put up a notice outside the Samajwadi Party’s office in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow, party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday appealed to all the leaders and workers to abide by the guidelines issued by the Election Commission.

“I appeal to the leaders, party workers to abide by the EC guidelines, Covid protocols whenever they come to the office...I have also heard that a notice was also put up at our office today,” Yadav said, ANI reported.

The notice was put under Section 144 in view of violation of the model code of conduct and Covid-19 protocol by the Samajwadi Party earlier on Friday.

Earlier on Friday, a case was filed under the Epidemic Act as a huge crowd gathered at the Samajwadi Party headquarters allegedly violating the Election Commission’s guidelines.

The huge crowd gathered during inclusion of several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including former Uttar Pradesh minister Swami Prasad Maurya, into the Samajwadi Party ahead of the assembly elections.

Union Minority Affairs Minister and senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had on Friday lashed out at the Samajwadi Party for “breaking protocols for political goals”.

The Election Commission has announced several precautionary and proactive measures for the five poll-bound states, including a total ban on physical rallies and roadshows, till Saturday in view of the surge in Covid-19 cases.

Voting for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. The counting of votes will be held on March 10.