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Polling officials carrying Electronic Voting Machines (EVMS) and other materials to a polling centre, ahead of 5th phase of West Bengal Assembly Polls, amid surge in Covid-19 cases across the country.
In view of the pandemic, the Election Commission (EC) has curtailed the timing of the campaign up to 7 PM. It also said there shall not be any campaign between 7 PM and 10 AM on campaign day. The silence period extended from 48 hours to 72 hours in each of the remaining three phases in West Bengal.
“Candidates and political parties shall ensure absolute, repeat absolute, adherence to Covid guidelines in letter and spirit. Violations, if any shall be sternly dealt with and action, including criminal action, taken as per extant legal framework,” Election Commission said.
“It shall be the responsibility of the organisers of public meetings, rallies, etc to provide masks and sanitisers to every person attending these meetings, rallies, etc at their cost which shall be added and counted within limits of prescribed expenditure,” Election Commission added.
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“Star campaigners/political leaders/candidates/aspiring policymakers shall demonstrate by their personal example & nudge all supporters at beginning of campaigning to wear mask, use sanitisers & maintain social distance & put in place such crowd control measures as necessary,” the poll body said.
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