Port Blair, March 19: With the announcement of General Elections-2024 by the Election Commission of India on 16/03/2024, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect.

In this regard, the Election Commission of India has issued the following instructions to regulate road shows to avoid any inconvenience to the general public/commuters during road shows which is detailed as under :-

• Prior permission for road shows shall be taken from the Competent Authority.
• In order to avoid inconvenience to general public, as far as possible, road shows, subject to court orders and local laws, should be permitted only on holidays and during no-peak hours on routes other than that having big hospitals, trauma centers, blood banks and heavily crowded markets.
• Number of vehicles and persons joining for road show shall be intimated in advance.
• The road show shall not cover more than half the road width to ensure safety of the general public.
• The convoy of vehicles being used in road show shall be broken after every 10 vehicles and a gap of 100 meters would be maintained.
• Safety of public and persons in the road show shall be ensured. Bursting of fire crackers and carrying of fire arms shall not be permitted at all.
• The maximum size of banner to be carried with hand would be 6x4 feet.
• Loudspeakers can be used as per existing ECI’s instruction and subject to local Laws and Court orders on this subject.
• Display of animals in road shows is totally banned, Children, particularly school children in uniform, should not taken part in road shows.
• Only one flag of the size 1 ft x ½ft with permission of the RO concerned would be allowed on campaign vehicles in a road show.

The above mentioned instructions have to be adhered to by the respective Political parties/Candidates to avoid any inconvenience to the general public.