CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER PUNJAB
Chandigarh 23 April - Taking a strong note of
the leaders, both at the national and state levels, indulging
in personal attacks, on the character or conduct of the leaders
and candidates of rival parties, the Election Commission of India,
in order to check such utterances, has issued detailed guidelines
to the political parties and candidates, for maintaining high
standards of campaign, to be observed during the forthcoming Lok
Sabha Elections in the country.
Stating this here today, a spokesman of the CEO Punjab said
that candidates were often observed making intemperate and derogatory
remarks against each other in their election speeches at public
meeting and rallies, giving rise to communal hatred, disharmony
or ill-will and aggravating the differences between classes of
citizens on grounds of religion, caste and community.
Giving details of the guidelines the spokesmen said that no
party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate
existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension
between different castes and communities, religion or linguistic.
Criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined
to their policies and programme, past record and work. Parties
and candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of
private life, not connected with the public activities of the
leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism of other parties
or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion
shall be avoided. There shall be no appeal to caste or communal
feelings for securing votes. Gurdwaras, Mosques, Churches, Temples
or other places of worship shall not be used as forum for election
propaganda.
All parties and candidates shall avoid scrupulously all activities
which are "corrupt practices" and offences under the
election law, such as bribing of voters, intimidation of voters,
impersonation of voters, canvassing within 100 metres of polling
stations, holding public meetings during the period of 48 hours
ending with the hour fixed for the close of the poll, and the
transport and conveyance of voters to and from polling station.
With each passing day, the Commission is being flooded with complaints
of violation of the above provisions of the Model Code of Conduct
and commission of electoral offences and corrupt practices under
the law, particularly by important leaders and office bearers
of political parties. These complaints are also receiving wide
coverage in the broadcast and print media across the land.
While expressing its deep anguish over the toxicity seeping
into the electoral campaign, the Commission reminded all political
parties, their leaders, candidates, workers and supporters of
the following sage advice given by the Honorable Supreme Court
of India in the case of Gadakh Yashwantrao Kankarrao Vs. E.V.
alian Balasahab Vikhe Patil (AIR 1994 SC 678):
" The duty at the top echelons of leadership at the state
and national level of all political parties is to set the trend
for giving the needed information to the electorate by adopting
desirable standards so that it percolates to the lower levels
and provides a congenial atmosphere for a free and fair poll.
A contrary trend of speeches by the top leaders tends to degenerate
the election campaign as it descends to the lower levels and at
times promotes even violence leading to criminalisation of politics.
The growth of this unhealthy trend is a cause for serious concern
for the proper functioning of the democracy and it is the duty
of the top leaders of all political parties to reverse this trend
to enable movement of the functioning democracy in the proper
direction".
The Election Commission of India urged the political parties,
their leaders, workers and supporters as well as their candidates
to observe the Model Code of Conduct in letter and spirit and
set high standards of electoral morality so as to ensure the integrity
and purity of electoral process in the country.
CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICE PUNJAB
PRESS NOTE
Chandigarh: April 23
The following programme has been approved by the Election Commission
of India for holding bye-election to 36-Nurmahal Assembly Constituency
in the State of Punjab.
Disclosing this here today, a spokesman of CEO Punjab said that
the date of issue of notification May 4, 2009 and last date for
making nominations May 11, 2009. Date of scrutiny of nominations
would be May 12, 2009, Last date for withdrawal of candidature
would be May 14, 2009, date of poll has been scheduled for May
28, 2009 and date of counting votes would be on June 1, 2009.
The spokesman further said that the date before which the election
process shall be completed would be June 5, 2009.
The nomination papers are to be filled in Form 2A. Blank forms
are available with the District Election Officer/Returning Officer.
Typed nomination papers would also be accepted provided they are
in the prescribed format.
The electoral roll w.r.t. 01.01.2009 as the qualifying date as
per pre-delimitation order in Punjab has been revised and published.
The Commission has also decided to use EVMs in this bye-election
in all the polling stations. Adequate steps have been taken to
ensure that the poll is conducted smoothly with the help of EVMs.
According to the spokesman, total number of 1117 complaints of
code violations had been received out of which 699 had been disposed
off and 418 were under process.
