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By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Monday extended the ban on road shows, padyatras, vehicle rallies and processions till February 11 in the five poll-bound states, though it has given some relaxations in holding physical meetings with an increase in the number of attendees from existing 500 to 1,000, or 50 per cent of the capacity of the designated venue for all phases of polls from February 1.
Officials in the poll panel said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra along with Election Commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey on Monday held a comprehensive review of the present situation of Covid-19 infection, particularly in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
The meeting was attended by secretary of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and chief secretaries and chief electoral officers of the five states.
Following the review meeting a senior official in the EC said, “No road shows, padyatras, vehicle rallies and processions shall be allowed till February 11, 2022.”
He, however, said, “The panel has now decided to allow physical public meetings of political parties and contesting candidates in designated open spaces with a maximum of 1,000 persons (instead of existing 500 persons), or 50 per cent of the capacity of the ground or the prescribed limit, whichever number is lesser, from February 1 for all phases.”
It has also been decided to enhance the limit for door-to-door campaigns. From February 1, instead of 10 persons, 20 persons, excluding security personnel, would be allowed for door-to-door campaigns.
For indoor meetings, parties would now be allowed gatherings of 500 people instead of 300, or 50 per cent of the capacity of the hall or the prescribed limit set by the state disaster management authority (SDMA).
The official said, “It shall be the responsibility of the district electoral officer to notify the designated spaces in advance for such meetings.”
It said that during a virtual review meeting, all state chief secretaries informed the Commission about reports of Covid infection either plateauing out or tapering as on date.
They also said that the positivity rate is coming down and hospitalisation numbers are also registering a declining trend.
“The state officers, however, said that Covid protocol precautions need to be continued to be observed so that no undue spurt takes place due to intense public contact because of heightened political activity,” the Election Commission said in a statement.
Inputs from the Union Health Secretary were also taken.
The EC said that after a comprehensive review of the present Covid situation in the poll-bound states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, it has been decided that no roadshows, ‘padyatras’, and cycle, bike or vehicle rallies and processions will be allowed till February 11.
The Commission also decided to allow physical public meetings of political parties or contesting candidates in designated open spaces with a maximum of 1,000 people, instead of existing 500 people, or 50 per cent of the capacity of the ground, or the prescribed limit set by state disaster management authorities, whichever number is lesser, from February 1 “for all phases”.
While Uttar Pradesh will have polls in seven phases between February 10 and March 7, Manipur will have polls in two phases on February 27 and March 3.
Uttarakhand and Goa will have single phase poll on February 14.
Punjab too will have a single-phase election on February 20.
The Commission also enhanced the limit on the number of people for door-to-door campaigns from 10 to 20, excluding security personnel.
“The Commission has now granted relaxation for the political parties to the extent that indoor meetings of a maximum of 500 persons (instead of existing 300 persons) or 50 per cent of the capacity of the hall or the prescribed limit set by SDMA is allowed,” it said.
The EC statement said that all remaining restrictions which were part of the revised broad guidelines for conduct of elections issued on January 8 will continue to operate.
Responding to a query on the ban on physical rallies, a senior official said events which are attended by thousands of people during electioneering are not allowed.
Only “physical public meetings” with a cap of 1,000 people are allowed.
In-depth discussions were also held with respect to the current vaccination status of first and second doses for eligible persons in the respective states as also arrangements for polling personnel, the EC said.
(With PTI Inputs)
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