In a charge free region, the electric field lines:

The correct answer is Option (1) → can be taken to be continuous curves without any breaks.

Electric field lines start only on positive charges and end only on negative charges, so in a region with no charge nothing can start or stop a line there: it runs on as a continuous curve.

NCERT (2026-27):
Electric Field Lines – “… The field lines follow some important general properties: … (ii) In a charge-free region, electric field lines can be taken to be continuous curves without any breaks.”