Assembly Elections 2022: Election Commission To Take A Call On Extending Ban On Political Rallies Today

Chief Election Commissioner, Sushil Chandra will take a call on whether to continue the ban on political rallies, after meeting various officers from the health and election commission.

Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra | (File Photo/ Getty Images)

The Election Commission of India (ECI), while announcing the dates for the elections had put a ban on political rallies, first till January 15, and then till January 22. The ECI will hold a meeting today to decide whether the ban on political rallies would be lifted or not.

As five states - Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa & Manipur - go to the polls, ECI placed a ban on conducting political rallies amid the increasing numbers of Covid-19 in the country. 

Chief Election Commissioner, Sushil Chandra will take a call after meeting various officers from the health and election commission.

Election Commission to take a call on holding poll rallies and roadshows today, with CEC Sushil Chandra holding series of virtual meetings with Union Health Secretary, Health Secretary, Chief Secretary & Chief Electoral Officers of five poll-bound states

— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2022

"Election Commission to take a call on holding poll rallies and roadshows today, with CEC Sushil Chandra holding series of virtual meetings with Union Health Secretary, Health Secretary, Chief Secretary & Chief Electoral Officers of five poll-bound states," reported ANI.

The Election Commission had granted permission to hold rallies with a maximum of 300 persons or 50% of the total capacity of the hall. 

While announcing the election dates, the EC banned 'nukkad sabhas' (corner meetings) on public roads and roundabouts and limited the number of persons allowed for the door-to-door campaign to five, including the candidate, in 16-point guidelines for campaigning.

The decision was taken keeping in mind the increasing cases of Covid-19 in the country. Uttar Pradesh's 20 districts that go to polls in the first two phases have 43,979 active cases of the total 95,866 active cases in UP. Thus, ECI would be mindful of the daily rising cases.