Bengal Polls: Roadshows, Bike Rallies Banned; Public Meetings Restricted To 500 People

Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday banned roadshows and bike/cycle rallies in West Bengal for the two remaining phases of assembly elections, scheduled for April 26 and 29.

“Permission for roadshow, cycle/bike/vehicle rallies, if granted already, stands withdrawn,” the EC said in its order.

It noted “with anguish” that many political parties/candidates have not been adhering to prescribed safety COVID norms during election rallies.

The Commission also restricted the number of persons at any public meeting to 500 for the remaining two phases. It added that any such public meeting will be allowed as per availability of adequate space with adherence to all COVID-19 safety norms.

On April 16, EC had banned election rallies and meetings between 7 pm and 10 am on days of campaigning, while also extending the silence period for campaigning from 48 hours to 72 hours.