The Election Commission will meet today to decide if the ban imposed by it on public rallies and road shows should continue.
While announcing the poll schedule for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur on January 8, the poll panel had taken an unprecedented step by banning public rallies, road shows and similar physical campaigning events till January 15 in view of rising COVID-19 cases.
The poll watchdog will be holding meetings with Union health secretary and chief secretaries of the five poll-bound states to decide on "any relaxation" on public rallies, according to the sources aware of the review meetings.
On January 8, the Commission had also listed out 16-point guidelines for campaigning as it banned 'nukkad sabhas' (corner meetings) on public roads and roundabouts, limited the number of persons allowed for door-to-door campaign to five, including the candidate, and prohibited victory processions after the counting on votes.
Separately, in a press release on Friday, the Election Commission (EC) said on considering the ongoing pandemic and enhanced relevance of non-contact based campaign, it had, in consultation with Prasar Bharti Corporation decided to double the broadcast/telecast time allotted to each national party and recognised state party of the five states.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
'One Nation, One Poll' Bill Referred To Joint Parliamentary Committee 'One Nation, One Poll' Panel Gets More Members After Some Parties Object Indian Gets Jail Term In US For Trying To Engage Minor In Sex Act 7 Dead, Many Critical In Jaipur Fire As 2 Trucks Collide Outside Petrol Pump Who Gave Permit For Trial Run? Cops Ask Navy In Mumbai Boat Tragedy Police Case Registered Against Rahul Gandhi For "Injuring" 2 BJP MPs World's Oldest Sunday Newspaper, Founded 2 Centuries Ago, Gets A New Owner Will Toll Be Reimposed On Delhi-Noida (DND) Flyway? What Supreme Court Said 'One Nation, One Poll' Bill Referred To Joint Parliamentary Committee Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.