Covid-19 Rules Melt In Heat Of Pandharpur Bypoll Campaign

Kolhapur: The heated campaign for the Pandharpur-Mangalwedha assembly bypoll ended on Thursday with flagrant violation of Covid-19 rules with masks not worn, social distance not maintained and far more than 200 people gathering at various spots.

In public meetings of both major parties, the attendance was in the thousands. Recently the district administration registered a case against the organisers of both NCP and BJP rallies for violation of Covid-19 norms.

Solapur district collector Milind Shambharkar had issued orders stating prohibitory rules introduced this week in the state would not be applicable for the poll campaigning and had allowed campaign rallies and meetings with not more than 200 attendees.