The Supreme Court today allowed the state election commission in Uttar Pradesh to hold counting of votes tomorrow for the rural polls after raising concerns over Covid surge and citing a petition from a teachers' body that said 700 teachers had died while they were on duty during the four-phased elections. 
A curfew will be imposed in areas near the counting centres and no victory rallies will be allowed in UP after the results are out, the court was assured by the poll commission, which also said that senior officials will ensure that Covid protocol is followed. The Supreme Court directed the officials to save the CCTV footage of all the counting centres.

The Supreme Court today allowed the state election commission in Uttar Pradesh to hold counting of votes tomorrow for the rural polls after raising concerns over Covid surge and citing a petition from a teachers' body that said 700 teachers had died while they were on duty during the four-phased elections. 
A curfew will be imposed in areas near the counting centres and no victory rallies will be allowed in UP after the results are out, the court was assured by the poll commission, which also said that senior officials will ensure that Covid protocol is followed. The Supreme Court directed the officials to save the CCTV footage of all the counting centres.