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.”
