Omicron threat: Will EC ban election rallies this time?

Amid the looming threat of a third cold wave, five states will go to the polls early next year. Meanwhile, Covid cases in some states have been rising and the third wave is expected to peak around February. This reminds of the second wave that witnessed a sharp rise following assembly elections in Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. The Election Commission (EC) faced a lot of flak for allowing parties to hold election rallies during the pandemic.

So, will the EC ban election rallies this time?