Bihar govt extends lockdown in state till May 25

Continuing the push for wide ranging reforms, Election Commission has decided to set up a Core Committee headed by Secretary General of the Commission to identify learning, experiences, shortcomings from recently Poll-gone States of Assam, Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and UT of Puducherry. The committee has been broadly tasked to identify the shortcomings or gaps in Election Commission regulatory regime and the gaps in implementation and enforcement at the level of CEOs or District officials. The Committee will examine the need for strengthening legal or regulatory framework enabling the Commission to more effectively ensure compliance of guidelines or directions including the COVID norms. It has also been asked to collate, analyse experiences, best practices across States and UT and suggest way forward and further reforms required. Deputy Election Commissioners of the ECI and CEOs of recent poll gone States and few select Special Observers and Observers will be members of the Committee. While finalising its recommendations, the Committee will also take inputs from State Nodal Officers of different divisions like Police, Expenditure, Health authorities as well as from some DEOs, SPs and ROs identified by CEOs, Polling officials, BLOs about the issues and challenges faced at the grass root levels. The panel will also examine the recommendations of the nine Working Groups which were set up post Lok Sabha Elections, 2019 in light of experiences in the Poll gone States. Election Commission said, recommendations of the Core Committee will help it to chalk out way forward for forthcoming polls in future. The Core Committee has been asked to submit its report within a month.

-Bihar government has extended the lockdown in the state till May 25.Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the decision was taken after reviewing the prevailing Corona situation. He said, positivity rate has declined in the state after the lockdown. Vaccination centres, banks and essential services will remain functional during the lockdown.As per new guidelines, ration shops, dairy, vegetables and meat shops will remain open between 6 am and 10 am in urban areas and 8 am to 12 noon in rural areas. Shops related to building material, seeds and fertiliser will be opened twice in a week on Monday and Thursday from 6 am to 10 am. Only 20 persons will be allowed in marriage ceremony and funeral procession.

-In Tamil Nadu, the goverment has decided  to enforce stricter lock down measures. The Government also intends to form a consultative committee on COVID having party representatives. The resolution passed in the meeting decided to support the Government's efforts in this time of crisis. Parties also resolved not to conduct any public meetings in the near future. The first loaded oxygen express to Tamilnadu is on the way with 80 metric tonne of liquid medical oxygen. 

-In Kerala, heavy rain has  Lashed the southern districts on account of the low pressure area formed in Arabian sea. Widespread Sea erosion was also reported in the coastal areas. As the low pressure system is expected to intensify in the next 24 hours into a depression and a cyclonic storm, red alert has been declared in 3 districts including the State Capital and Lakshadweep on Friday. Fishing has been suspended in Kerala  and Lakshadweep coasts. 

-The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued notices to the Centre as well as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar Governments over the complaint about several dead bodies found floating in the Ganga River. The Commission has observed that it seems the public authorities have failed to take concentric efforts in educating the masses and checking the immersion of half burnt bodies into the River Ganga.  It said the practice of disposal of bodies in the sacred river Ganga is clearly in violation of guidelines of the National Mission for Clean Ganga project of Ministry of Jal Shakti.The complainant based on several media reports, has expressed apprehensions that these dead bodies were of COVID victims, hence, the disposal of bodies in such a manner may, seriously affect all those persons, who are dependent on the holy river for their day-to-day activities. It is further stated that even if these dead bodies were not of Covid victims, then such incidents are shameful to the society as a whole as that amounts to violation of human rights of even deceased persons.