Election Commission allows padayatras, 4 more hrs of campaigning

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Saturday further relaxed COVID-19-induced restrictions on the assembly poll campaign in five states, allowing padayatras with a limited number of people and increasing the number of hours campaigning can take place in a day.

According to the poll panel, election campaign can now be conducted between 6 am and 10 pm instead of earlier 8 am to 8 pm. This will give candidates and parties four more hours to campaign in a day.

Citing the rise in COVID-19 cases, the poll panel had imposed a ban on physical rallies, roadshows and padayatras when it announced the assembly poll schedule for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur on January 8.