PANAJI/ MARGAO
The curbs on campaigning due to Covid-19 were further relaxed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday, leaving it to the District Election Officers to decide the number of people permitted to attend meetings and rallies at open-air venues.
The ECI said at indoor venues the limit of people attending campaign meetings should be restricted to 50 per cent of the capacity.
It also said, however, that if the State Disaster Management Authority has set ceiling limits, which are more stringent, then those will prevail.
Currently, for open-air venues, the limit of public attendance has been fixed at 30 per cent of the ground’s capacity which is to be fixed by the DEO as per the need to adhere to social distancing
norms.
“If the SDMA has set the ceiling limits or percentage of the capacity for number of persons attending indoor hall or open ground events and they are stricter, SDMA guidelines will prevail,” the ECI said.
Meanwhile, the ban on holding roadshows, padyatras, cycle, bike and vehicle rallies and processions will continue.
Also, the maximum number of people permissible for door-to-door campaign remains unchanged at 20 and campaigning will be restricted to the 12-hours from 8 am to 8 pm.
Meanwhile, as far as open rallies on the ground are concerned, an order issued by South Goa district Magistrate Ruchika
Katyal, IAS, states that the organizers shall ensure multiple entry and exit points.
All entrances must have adequate hand hygiene and thermal screening provisions. An adequate number of hand sanitisers should be kept at the entrance as well as within the rally area. The order states that in designated open ground meetings, people should be accommodated in adequate clusters and such clusters should be separated by separation arrangements. The organizers will ensure this arrangement and nodal officers will ensure compliance.
