No physical rallies and roadshows until 22 January, 2022: ECI

The Election Commission of India has on January 15 taken stock of the situation in the country and decided to ban all rallies and roadshows until January 22, 2022.

The Commission met the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, as also the Chief Electoral Officers of these five polls going States on a virtual mode and learnt the ground reality in these states.

Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra along with Election Commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey accompanied by Secretary-General and concerned Deputy Election Commissioners held an elaborate review and issued the following directions:-

No road show, Pad-yatra, cycle/bike/vehicle rally and procession shall be allowed till 22 January, 2022. Commission shall subsequently review the situation and issue further instructions accordingly.

No physical rally of Political parties or candidates (including probable) or any other group related to election shall be allowed till 22 January, 2022.

However, the Commission has granted relaxation for the political parties to the extent that indoor meetings of maximum of 300 persons or 50% of the capacity of the hall or the prescribed limit set by SDMA will be allowed.

Political parties shall ensure the compliance of COVID appropriate behaviour & guidelines and Model Code of Conduct at all occasions during the activities connected with elections.

All remaining restrictions as contained in the Revised Broad Guidelines for Conduct of Elections, 2022 issued on 8 January 2022 shall continue to operate.