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ECI extends ban on physical rallies, road shows till January 31

Chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra along with election commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey accompanied by secretary general and deputy election commissioners concerned held a comprehensive review of the present situation with respect to status and projected trends of Covid pandemic in the five poll going states.

ByIFP Bureau

Updated 23 Jan 2022, 3:44 pm

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced that no road show, padyatra, cycle, bike, vehicle rally and procession shall be allowed till January 31.

A review meeting was held on Saturday with the secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India through virtual mode, ECI stated in a release signed by its joint director (Media) Anuj Chandak.

The Commission also held virtual meetings with chief secretaries, chief electoral officers and health secretaries of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, ECI stated.

Chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra along with election commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey accompanied by secretary general and deputy election commissioners concerned held a comprehensive review of the present situation with respect to status and projected trends of Covid pandemic in the five poll going states, it added.  

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The Commission also reviewed vaccination status and action plan for expeditiously completing vaccination for first, second and booster dose for eligible persons amongst polling personnel, it mentioned. The Commission deliberated on relaxing restrictions for physical rallies in the wake of the prevailing situation.

After taking into consideration inputs and ground reports from these officers, the Commission also deliberated on requirements of the campaign period in phases where candidate list will be finalised on January 27 for Phase 1 and on January 31 for Phase 2, it continued.

The Commission has decided that since contesting candidates for Phase 1 elections will be finalised on January 27, 2022, physical meetings of concerned political parties or contesting candidates in designated open spaces will be allowed with a maximum of 500 persons or 50 per cent of the capacity of the ground or the prescribed limit set by SDMA, whichever number is lesser, from January 28, 2022 till February 8 (excluding the silence period).

Since contesting candidates for Phase 2 elections will be finalised on January 31, the commission has decided to allow physical meetings of concerned political parties or contesting candidates with public in designated open spaces with a maximum of 500 persons or 50 per cent of the capacity of the ground or the prescribed limit set by SDMA, whichever number is lesser, from February 1 till February 12 (excluding the silence period), it further stated.

The Commission has also enhanced the limit of door-to-door campaign. Instead of five persons, now 10 persons, excluding security personnel, will be allowed door-to-door campaigns. Other instructions on door-to-door campaigns will continue, it stated.

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The Commission has already granted relaxation for the political parties to the extent that indoor meetings of a maximum of 300 persons or 50 per cent of the capacity of the hall or the prescribed limit set by SDMA is allowed, it continued.

The Commission has also allowed video vans for publicity with usual COVID restrictions at designated open spaces with a maximum of 500 viewers or 50 per cent of the capacity or the limit set by SDMA, whichever number is lesser, in the poll going States subject to public convenience and no hindrance to smooth flow of traffic (Instructions in this regard are being sent to the CEOs separately), it continued.

Political parties and contesting candidates shall ensure the compliance of Covid appropriate behaviour and guidelines and Model Code of Conduct at all occasions during the activities connected with elections, ECI stated.

It shall be the responsibility of the district electoral officer concerned to identify and to notify the designated spaces in advance for the aforesaid purposes, it stated.  

All remaining restrictions as contained in the Revised Broad Guidelines for Conduct of Elections, 2022 issued on January 8 shall continue to operate, it mentioned. All concerned State/District authorities shall ensure full compliance of these instructions. The Commission will review these instructions at a subsequent date, it added.

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ECImanipur electionralliesroad shows

IFP Bureau

IFP Bureau

IMPHAL, Manipur

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