A 48-hour electoral silence ahead of the May 14 local level elections will come into effect from midnight on Thursday, the Election Commission has said. 

Issuing a statement on Wednesday, Assistant Secretary of the EC Surya Prasad Sharma said the political parties would be prohibited from electioneering, disseminating political messages, organising meetings and rallies, chanting slogans and campaigning by any other means after the commencement of the silence period until the end of the elections.

As per election code of conduct, parties can organise publicity campaigns from 8am to 7pm before the silence period kicks in.