With the Covid-19 third wave at a critical juncture, the Election Commission on Saturday banned physical rallies, roadshows, padayatra, cycle-bike-vehicle rallies and processions by parties or probable candidates till January 15 as it announced the schedule for elections to five states.
There will be a "campaign curfew" between 8 PM and 8 AM during which no rallies and public meetings will be allowed, while 'nukkad sabhas' (street meetings) will also not be allowed on public roads, roundabouts or public streets or corners. Only five people, including candidates but excluding security personnel, would be allowed for door-to-door campaigning.
However, physical rallies during the campaign period, as and when permitted after the decision of the Commission will be conducted subject to adherence to extant Covid-19 guidelines.
Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra told a press conference that the EC will review the "dynamic situation" related to the pandemic on January 15 on whether to continue with the restrictions or provide further relaxations.
Also read: Assembly Election 2022: 5 states to go to vote from February 10 to March 7; counting on March 10
The Election Commission is also advising parties and candidates to conduct their campaign as much as possible through digital/mobile phone mode instead of physical mode ensuring strict compliance of Covid-19 safety norms.
There is also a decrease in the number of star campaigners for parties -- for national and state parties, it has been fixed 30 in place of 40 while it is 15 in place of 20 for unrecognised parties.
Rallies and meetings will be allowed only in earmarked places and with prior permissions of district administration. Each party/candidate should give an undertaking in that it shall abide by all the extant instructions/guidelines in this regard.
If a candidate or political party violates any of the above guidelines, no further permission shall be given to the concerned candidate/party for rallies, meetings etc.
The convoy of vehicles shall be broken after every five vehicles and the interval between two sets of convoys of vehicles should be half an hour instead of a gap of 100 metres. During the permitted campaign period, convoy of vehicles will be allowed only for movement of vehicles from one point to another point for campaigning.
No victory procession after the counting will be allowed and not more than two persons shall be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or her authorised representative to receive the certificate of election from the Returning Officer.
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