Election Commission extends ban on public rallies and roadshows in five poll bound states till 22 January

New Delhi: Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Election Commission on Saturday extended its ban on physical rallies and roadshows until 22 January, 2022, in the five poll-bound states. The poll panel, however, granted a relaxation for the political parties to the extent that indoor meetings of maximum 300 persons or 50 percent of the capacity of the hall, or the prescribed limit set by state disaster management authorities, an official statement said. The Commission also directed political parties to adhere to the provisions of the model code of conduct and broader guidelines on COVID-19. The poll panel directed state and district administrations to ensure compliance of all instructions related to the poll code and to the pandemic control measures. While announcing the poll schedule for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjab on 8 January, 2022, the EC had taken an unprecedented step of banning public rallies, roadshows and similar physical campaigning events till 15 January, 2022. The ban has now been extended by a further one week. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.