NEW DELHI: The Centre has told the Delhi High Court that it had in March this year asked all state governments and union territories (UTs) to ensure compliance of Covid-19-appropriate behaviour in all gatherings. The submission by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has come in response to a plea seeking to debar campaigners and candidates from campaigning in the assembly elections for repeatedly violating the mandatory guidelines, including wearing of masks, issued by the Election Commission (EC) and the Centre in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The petition by Vikram Singh, the former DGP of Uttar Pradesh and also the chairman of think tank Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC), has contended that despite the orders and guidelines of the Centre and EC, "election campaigning is going on in full swing, without any regard to the Covid-19 regulations".