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The Delhi State Election Commission on Tuesday limited the number of star campaigners to 10 for recognised parties and five for unrecognised ones, besides imposing other restrictions in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic in the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for municipal elections to be held in April this year.
Other MCC guidelines include no meetings or processions beyond 8 PM, no roadshow, bike and cycle rallies without prior permission, a limit of 50 people in street corner meetings and only five persons including the candidate to be allowed for door-to-door campaigns.
The MCC will come into force in Delhi when dates for civic elections are announced. Official sources said that dates could be declared within a few days by the Commission.
"The number of star campaigners is restricted to 10 for these elections for national /state recognised parties and five for unrecognised registered parties in the wake of the COVID-19 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 and subject to existing DDMA guidelines," the MCC document issued by the State Election Commission stated.
No victory procession after the counting 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.
The MCC guidelines put special emphasis on adherence to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and advised authorities to ensure social distancing at polling booths.
It also said that arrangements of masks distribution will be made for those who turn up at the polling booths without masks.
Sanitisers should be made available at all polling stations and public meeting venues.
Nukkad Sabhas (meeting) will not be allowed on public roads, roundabouts or public streets or corners, the MCC guidelines said.
It added that a maximum of 50 persons shall be allowed in street corner meetings, subject to availability of space and compliance to COVID-19 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), the document said.
"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.
"Use of loudspeakers shall be permitted only between 8 AM and 8 PM," the Commission said.
The MCC guidelines said that 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."
The MCC guidelines said that there will be a ban on sale, service and consumption of liquor and other intoxicating liquor & 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 & 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," it said.
The 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, the 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.
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