The Election Commission on Sunday extended ban on roadshows, ‘pad yatras’, cycle and vehicle rallies but relaxed norms for indoor and outdoor political meets for polls.

In a statement, the EC said restrictions regarding outdoor meetings, indoor meetings, rallies will be further relaxed subject to condition that the number of persons attending these events will be limited to maximum of 50 per cent of the capacity of indoor halls and 30 per cent of the open ground capacity.

Maximum number of persons permissible for door-to-door campaigning fixed at 20 will remain as before. Ban on campaign between 8 PM and 8 AM will also continue as before, the EC said. Assembly polls are scheduled in five states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur and Punjab.

In its last review carried out 31st January, the Commission had issued more relaxations and allowed political parties or contesting candidates to hold outdoor meetings in designated open spaces with a maximum of 1,000 persons (instead of existing 500 persons) or 50% of the capacity of the ground and for indoor meetings, a maximum of 500 persons (instead of existing 300 persons) or 50% of the capacity of the hall or the prescribed limit set by SDMA, whichever number is lesser, from 1st February, 2022, for all phases.