Covid curbs imposed for council polls

Hyderabad: The Election Commission imposed restrictions on the number of persons to be accompanied for campaigningwith the candidates in the council elections under the Graduates quota. The Commission has allowed only five persons in the door-to-door campaign in wake of the Covid conditions.

As per the decision of the Commission, the candidate can take only five persons with them while they take up door-to-door campaign. The candidates can use only five vehicles while taking part in the road shows. Similarly, while coming for filing the nomination, the candidates should have only two vehicles.

The parties taking up rallies, public meetings should get prior permission from the authorities. For publicity and advertisements in media, the candidates should get clearance from the Media Certification Monitoring Committee prior to giving advertisements in media, said the Election Officer Priyankal Ala.

She also said that there was no limit on the expenditure by the candidates. However, the candidates would have to submit the expenditure details to the returning officers.

Priyanka Ala said that the Commission was providing postal ballot facility for the voters above 80 years and other persons like physically handicapped and Covid patients.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Wednesday had a meeting with the political parties. The parties were informed that the ballot papers would have the name of the candidate, photo and the name of the party.

There will be 799 polling stations in the Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Graduates constituency. The officials said that the nominations would be received till February 23 except on Sundays. In wake of Covid norms, only two persons are allowed in the office while the nominations are filed.