The Election Commission on Monday ordered a ban on bike rallies 72 hours before polling and on the day of voting itself in the Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal Assembly elections, citing instances of “anti-social elements” on bikes intimidating voters.
The EC wrote to the Chief Electoral Officers of the four States and the Union Territory of Puducherry on Monday that: “It has been brought to the notice of the Commission that in some places bikes are used by some antisocial elements to intimidate the voters before the poll day and/or on poll day.”
The EC added that it considered the matter and decided that bike rallies would not be allowed at any place 72 hours before the date of poll and on the poll day in all constituencies where elections are being held.
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An EC official said the decision was taken after the commission received complaints from several political parties when it visited the poll-going States and the Union Territory that bike rallies were used to intimidate voters in the last few hours before voting. The complaints came up particularly during the EC’s meetings with parties in Kolkata, the official said, adding that the ban had been in place during the previous elections as well.