Election Commission Bans Bike Rallies 72 Hours Before Polls

Bike rallies will be banned in all constituencies to ensure no “anti-social elements” harass voters, said the ECI.

Election Commission of India. 1 November 2019.

(File Photo: Amlan Paliwal/IANS)

The Election Commission of India announced on Monday, 22 March that 72 hours before the polls and on poll day, bike rallies will be banned in all constituencies to ensure no “anti-social elements” harass voters.

“It has been brought to the notice of the Commission that in some places bikes are used by some antisocial elements to intimidate the voters before the poll day and on poll day,” it said, as reported by ANI.

The Chief Election Commissioner, as well as a team of senior officials and commissioners, are to visit West Bengal to review poll preparedness ahead of the first phase of West Bengal polls, added the report.

The West Bengal Assembly election will be held from 27 March to 29 April in eight phases, following which the results will be declared on 2 May. This makes it the longest ever polling in the state so far, seemingly based on “assessments of law and order”.

(With inputs from ANI)