<span style="color: #222222;">The Election Commission today extended ban on physical rallies and roadshows until 22nd of this month. The Poll Body granted relaxation for political parties to the extent that indoor meetings of maximum of 300 persons or 50 per cent of the capacity of the hall or the prescribed limit set by State Disaster Management Authorities SDMAs.<br />''<br />''The Commission has directed political parties to adhere to the provisions of Model Code of Conduct and the broad guidelines of COVID. It has directed State and District Administration to ensure compliance of all instructions related to  Model Code of Conduct and COVID.<br />''</span><br />''The Election Commission today held separate virtual meetings with Health Ministry, Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh and also the Chief Electoral Officers of these five poll going States. Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra along with Election Commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey accompanied by Secretary General and concerned Deputy Election Commissioners held a comprehensive review of present status and projected trends of COVID pandemic with special focus in the five poll going states. Vaccination status and action plan for expeditiously completing vaccination for 1st, 2nd and booster dose for eligible persons amongst Frontline workers and polling personnel was also reviewed.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">AIR correspondent reports, the Commission also discussed SDMA's restrictions and state specific extant guidelines regulating the norms of gathering of persons during the period of pandemic. After considering the present situation, facts and circumstances as also the inputs received in these meetings, the Commission has directed that no road show, Pad-yatra, cycle or bike or vehicle rally and procession shall be allowed till 22nd January, 2022. The Commission will subsequently review the situation and issue further instructions accordingly. No physical rally of Political parties or candidates including probable or any other group related to election shall be allowed till 22nd of this month. All remaining restrictions as contained in the Revised Broad Guidelines for Conduct of Elections, 2022 issued on 8th of this month by the commission will continue to operate. </span>