State Election Commission to announce dates for Delhi Municipal polls today, check MCC guidelines here

The Delhi State Election Commission limited the number of star campaigners to 10 for recognised parties and five for unrecognised ones, besides imposing other restrictions in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

New Delhi: The State Election Commission is going to announce dates for New Delhi Municipal polls on Wednesday (March 9, 2022) evening. Three municipal corporations of Delhi, North, South and East Municipal Corporation will go for polling in April. 

The Delhi State Election Commission also issued a number of restrictions on Tuesday in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The MCC will come into force in Delhi when dates for civic elections are announced.

The commission limited the number of star campaigners to 10 for recognised parties and five for unrecognised ones, besides imposing other restrictions. According to the MCC guidelines, no meetings or processions beyond 8 pm can take place, no roadshow, bike and cycle rallies can happen without prior permission. 

The MCC will come into force in Delhi when dates for civic elections are announced.

Other MCC guidelines include a limit of 50 people in street corner meetings and only five persons including the candidate to be allowed for door-to-door campaigns.

Additionally, the sources said that State Election Commissioner SK Srivastava on Tuesday convened a meeting to review the Covid-19 conditions in the city and also the situation of law and order ahead of the announcement of the schedule for civic polls.

Read complete MCC guidelines here: 

- The number of star campaigners has been restricted to 10 for these elections for national/state recognised parties and five for unrecognised registered parties in the wake of the pandemic.

- The permission for the campaigning by star campaigners shall be submitted to the district magistrate at least 48 hours before the start of the campaign.

- No roadshow shall be allowed and no motorbike/cycle rallies will be allowed without valid permission. These permissions will be subject to existing DDMA guidelines.

- SEC also said that no victory procession after the counting of votes shall be allowed and not more than two persons shall be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or the authorised representative to receive the certificate of election from the Returning Officer.

- Nukkad Sabhas (meeting) will not be allowed on public roads, roundabouts or public streets or corners.

- As per the guidelines, a maximum of 50 persons shall be allowed in street corner meetings, subject to availability of space and compliance to guidelines. 

- Not more than 50 people shall be allowed in one cluster point during the campaign through video vans.

- A maximum of five vehicles will be allowed for a candidate/ political party (including star campaigner). Such meetings/processions will not be allowed to continue beyond 8 PM and will be further subject to other relevant considerations like weather conditions, festival season, examination period, etc.

- The parties can use loudspeakers only between 8 AM and 8 PM.

- While taking out procession or padyatra during campaigning for the election, a candidate and his workers "can hold up to a maximum of five flags for one procession. The size of the flag will be 3 ft by 2 ft.

- There will be a ban on sale, service and consumption of liquor and other intoxicating liquor and drinks in the areas of 272 wards of Municipal Corporation of Delhi and their surrounding areas on the day of polling and two days preceding the poll to ensure free and peaceful poll.

- Dry days shall be declared and notified under relevant laws in the 272 wards of Municipal Corporation of Delhi on the date of poll and two days preceding the poll and on the day of the counting of votes.

- The MCC guidelines put special emphasis on adherence to Covid-19-appropriate behaviour and advised authorities to ensure social distancing at polling booths.

Meanwhile, Delhi State Election Commission of Delhi had last week increased the limit of expenditure that can be incurred by a candidate in the elections for the city's three municipal corporations -- North, East and South -- to Rs 8 lakh from Rs 5.75 lakh.

There are 104 wards each in the North and the South Delhi Municipal Corporations. The East Delhi Municipal Corporation has 64 wards. Half of the wards are reserved for women candidates. There are wards reserved for Scheduled Castes candidates as well.

In the last MCD polls in Delhi, the BJP registered an impressive victory, returning to power in the three corporations by winning 181 of the 272 wards.

Its closest rival AAP managed to win only 49 wards, while the Congress bagged 31 wards in the 2017 elections. Independent candidates won three wards in North Delhi, four in South Delhi and one in East Delhi.

(With PTI inputs)