The Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 10 lifted the ban on victory processions as votes for the five Assembly elections were counted. They had been prohibited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement came as workers of the political parties leading in the States had begun gathering at party offices and celebrating.
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In a statement, the ECI said: “Viewing the current status of COVID-19 in these poll-going States, the Commission has decided to relax the guidelines on victory processions during and after the counting and has withdrawn the blanket ban on victory processions. However, this relaxation will be subject to existing instructions of SDMA and preventive measures, imposed by concerned district authorities.”
The ECI had banned victory processions while announcing on January 8. It said it had gradually relaxed the norms regarding campaigning in consultation with the Union Health Ministry and the State governments during the course of the elections as the COVID-19 situation improved.
