Panchayat elections: EC issues fresh guidelines on poll code
Friday, 21/06/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130621/punjab.htm#7
Chandigarh : In view of the gram panchayat elections, the State Election Commission (SEC) has issued strict instructions for proper implementation of the code of conduct. A SEC spokesperson said anybody could lodge a compliant of code violation against any candidate or political party before the poll observers.
He said the District Electoral Officer or Deputy Commissioners and the police had been authorised to initiate prosecution against any violation before the competent criminal courts.
He said no party or candidate shall indulge in any activity that may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic.
The SEC said during the election process, Ministers shall not combine their official visit with electioneering work and shall not make use of official machinery and personnel or other government resources, including government vehicle, for furtherance of interests of any candidate.
Official telephones, including mobiles and fax, shall not be used for electioneering. The Ministers and other authorities shall not sanction grants/payment out of their discretionary funds. They shall not announce any financial grant in any form or promises thereof or make any promise of constructions of road, provision of drinking water facility or any adhoc appointment in government public undertaking, which may have the effect of influencing the voters in favour of the party in power. They shall not sanction any new scheme or make any such announcement.
The use of rest houses, circuit houses and other government accommodation should be permitted to all candidates and political parties on similar terms.
