Election Commission to review ban on physical rallies on Monday

The Election Commission will hold a review meeting on Monday to discuss the existing ban on physical rallies in view of declining Covid cases.

The Union Health Secretary is likely to meet the poll body virtually at around 11 a.m. on Monday. The Health Secretaries of five poll-bound states - UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur - are also likely to join the virtual meeting.

The poll body will take the decision on existing restrictions on the political rallies after reviewing the curent Covid situation in the poll-bound states.

On January 22, the Election Commission had extended, till January 31, the ban on physical rallies and the roadshows amid the Covid cases. The poll body had allowed for physical meetings of political parties or contesting candidates in designated open spaces with some restrictions after the review meeting with the Health Ministry and poll-bound states in that meeting.

The assembly election in five poll-bound states are scheduled to begin from February 10. Polling in Uttar Pradesh will take place in seven phases, while Manipur will vote in two phases, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa will vote for assembly election in a single phase.

--IANS

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