The Election Commission of India has relaxed the Covid-19 guidelines on ‘victory celebrations’. The EC has allowed political parties to hold victory processions during and after the counting of votes. Earlier, there was a blanket ban on victory processions across states due to the coronavirus situation in India.

In an official statement, EC said, “Viewing the current status of COVID-19 in these poll-going states, Commission has decided to relax the guidelines on victory processions during and after the counting.” The EC has “withdrawn the blanket ban on victory processions”.

“During the period of elections as the COVID situation improved, the Commission gradually relaxed the norms concerning electioneering in consultation with the Union Health Ministry and state governments,” the statement said. The relaxation will be subject to existing instructions of state disaster management authorities and preventive measures imposed by concerned district authorities, it added.

While announcing the poll schedule for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa, and Punjab, the Election Commission had issued guidelines to regulate various aspects of elections, including victory processions amid the pandemic.

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