Assembly elections: EC to review ban on physical rallies

New Delhi, Jan 31: The Election Commission of India will review the ban on physical rallies in the five states that are going to polls in February. Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Mizoram will be going to polls next month.

The ECI will meet later today to assess the COVID-19 situation and decide on whether or not physical rallies can be held or not. The meeting will take place virtually at 11 am today and the same would be attended by the Chief Electoral Officers of the states which are going to polls.

On January 8, the commission had imposed a ban on physical rallies and roadshows in the wake of the rising number of COVID-19 cases. The ban was first ordered between January 8 and January 15, but the same was later extended till January 22.

Following this the ECI met once again and extended the ban until January 31. However it allowed public meetings with a maximum of 500 people in the constituencies that are going to polls in the first two phases. The ECI however relaxed norms when it came to door to door campaigning.

The elections will be held in seven phases starting February 10 and counting will take place on March 10.