The Election Commission on Tuesday lifted restrictions on large political rallies and allowed roadshows for the remaining phases of the Uttar Pradesh and the Manipur Assembly polls.
The EC had banned road shows when it announced elections to the Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assemblies on January 8. Political meetings and rallies were allowed with restrictions on crowd size, which have been gradually eased.
On Tuesday, the EC said it took a periodic review of the COVID-19 situation. The EC said in a statement the COVID-19 cases had declined significantly, from 3.47 lakh on January 22 to 13,400 on Tuesday, as per information from the Union Health Secretary.
“Even in the reported cases, the maximum number of cases are from non-poll going States. Specially in the poll-going States of Uttar Pradesh and Manipur, the number of cases which were more than 16,700 at peak on January 22 have come down to just about 500 cases on February 22,” the EC said.
The Commission said it took into account the needs of political parties and candidates and the small number of cases to lift restrictions on campaigning. Parties and candidates would be allowed to hold meetings and rallies, subject to the State Disaster Management Authority’s regulations, but the EC’s restriction of 50% capacity of venue would no longer apply.
“The Commission has also allowed road shows subject to SDMA regulations and with prior permission of district authorities. All other existing provisions related to electioneering shall continue to operate,” the EC said.
While polling in Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand is over, the two-phase Manipur Assembly elections and four of the seven-phase U.P. elections are yet to be completed.
