Election commission announces new restrictions for political parties
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
Election Commission vide Press Note No. ECI/PN/3/2022 dated 8th January, 2022 had announced General Election to Legislative Assemblies of Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, 2022. On the same day, Commission had also issued “Revised Broad Guidelines, 2022” to conduct General Elections/Bye-Elections during COVID after wide consultations and after assessing the prevailing situation of COVID. In the revised guidelines, Commission had prescribed restrictions and precautions to be taken during the conduct of elections. Commission had also stated that it will review the pandemic situation periodically and take a further view on tightening or relaxing the guidelines based on ground level situation.
Considering the improving situation of pandemic, Commission has periodically reviewed the situation and had relaxed some restrictions on physical meetings and door-to-door campaigning on 15th January, 22nd January and 31st January, 2022.
In the last review done on 31st January, Commission issued more relaxation and allowed Political parties or contesting candidates to hold outdoor meetings in designated open spaces with a maximum of 1000 persons (instead of existing 500 persons) or 50% of the capacity of the ground and for indoor meetings, a maximum of 500 persons (instead of existing 300 persons) or 50% of the capacity of the hall or the prescribed limit set by SDMA, whichever number is lesser, from 1st February, 2022, for all phases. The Commission has also enhanced the limit for door to door campaigns from 10 persons to 20 persons, excluding security personnel.
Chief Secretaries of poll going States have written to the Commission and have apprised that there has been significant improvement in the prevailing Covid situation, a considerable decrease in the number of positive cases of COVID and also decrease in cases of hospitalization. Most of them have recommended to the Commission to consider for relaxation and allow increased number of persons in the indoor/outdoor campaign meetings.
Commission has appointed Special Observers for poll going States to oversee free and fair conduct of poll. After receiving references from Chief Secretaries, Commission took inputs and views from the Special Observers also. Many Special Observers have sent their reports and have stated that the Covid situation has improved substantially and positivity rate has come down significantly. They have also stated that coverage of vaccination in the state is very satisfactory for the 1st Dose, 2nd Dose and Precaution Dose to frontline workers and Poll duty officials. In this light, they have recommended that the Commission may consider revisiting the existing campaign guidelines and permit further relaxation in the Campaign norm to ensure greater participation in the ongoing election process. Most of them recommended to increase limit the number of people attending the rallies in open/indoor space to about 50% and not limiting it to a number.
February 6,2022
