Vax certificates in 5 poll-bound states won't have PM Narendra Modi's photo

New Delhi: Covid vaccination certificates issued in the five poll-bound states will not have Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo since the model code of conduct has come into force there, an official source said. The Union Health Ministry will apply necessary filters on the Co-WIN platform to exclude Modi's photo from the vaccine certificate, the source said. Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa will be held between February 10 and March 7 in seven phases with the counting of votes on March 10, the Election Commission announced on Saturday. With the announcement of the schedule, the Model Code of Conduct for governments, candidates and political parties has come into force.

"The Health Ministry will apply necessary filters on the CoWIN platform to exclude the picture of the prime minister from the COVID-19 certificates being given to people in these five poll-bound states because of the model code of conduct coming into force," an official source told PTI. In March 2021, Health Ministry had taken a similar initiative during the polls held in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry as suggested by the Election Commission following complaints raised by some political parties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting on Sunday to review the COVID-19 situation in the country as the Omicron variant of the virus fuels a surge in cases.

The meeting was held virtually. According to Union health ministry data updated at 8 am on Sunday, a total of 1,59,632 new coronavirus infections were reported, the highest in 224 days, while the active cases increased to 5,90,611, the highest in around 197 days. On May 29 last year, India had logged 1,65,553 infections in a day.

Union Health Mansukh Mandaviya will interact with health ministers of five states and a Union Territory to review the COVID-19 situation on Monday amid a spike in infections, official sources said.

The Union minister will virtually interact with health ministers of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra, and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, an official source said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting on Sunday to review the COVID-19 situation in the country as the Omicron variant of the virus fuels a surge in cases.