EC bars physical rallies till January 15 in election 'Campaign Curfew' amid COVID

The Election Commission, on Saturday, has announced the dates for assembly polls in five states. The poll body convened a press conference in which it declared the schedule for the polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab, and Manipur. 

ECI announces 'Campaign Curfew'; bars physical rallies and roadshows till Jan 15

While briefing media, the Chief Election Commissioner, Sushil Chandra has made an important announcement that no physical rally, roadshow, padayatra, cycle/motorbike rallies or similar on-ground campaigning is allowed till January 15 in the wake of the alarming spread of COVID-19 across the country. 

The situation will be reviewed post the said date. "Between 8 pm - 8 am, no rallies and public meetings... this will be continued", he said, adding that the maximum number of people allowed in the rallies will be as per the direction of the SDMAs. For the door-door campaign - five people are allowed at max. No victory processions after the counting, and only two people to accompany the winning candidate. 

The Election Commission was reportedly under pressure to take this decision due to a spike in novel Coronavirus cases in India after the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. Recently, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who has been actively campaigning in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa, tested positive for COVID-19. Besides this, a stampede-like situation was also reported in a Congress rally in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly where several children were injured.

COVID Guidelines New Jan 8 PDF by Republic World on Scribd

The CEC also announced measures taken to encourage voting by women as well as arrangements for voting by the specially-abled. All polling stations will be on ground floors, equipped with COVID-safe equipment like sanitisers, masks, thermal scanners. "A total of 18.34 crore electors will take part in these elections, out of which 8.55 crore are women," says Sushil Chandra.

"More than 1 lakh polling stations are covered by cameras. Also, nearly 900 observers have been deployed to keep a watch on the field. EC has directed that all the people on election duty will have to be double vaccinated. All the election officers will be treated as the frontline workers, and they will be given the booster dose. Gloves, sanitisers everything to be there," said Sushil Chandra on the concerning COVID situation. "In view of covid concerns - polling time has been increased by 1 hour," the Chief Election Commissioner added. 

All elections in five states are to be conducted in total & combined seven phases. Uttar Pradesh assembly election to be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. Manipur Assembly elections are to be held in two phases from February 27 and March 3. Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Goa Assembly elections will be held in one phase on February 14. 

Image: PTI/ANI