The Election Commission (EC) has decided to keep in abeyance Assam Government’s decision of transferring and posting over a dozen police officers after the announcement of poll schedule.
The poll body has written to chief secretaries and chief electoral officers of five States—West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry—going for the polls, drawing the particular provisions of model code of conduct to the party in power and immediate enforcement of the MCC.
According to the EC, the Assam Government ordered the transfer of 12 IPS and 6 APS officers on the day the election schedule was announced. The Commission, therefore, decided to keep the transfer/posting of these police officers in abeyance till further orders. In West Bengal, the poll body replaced the top cop in charge of law and order for the State. Jag Mohan, who was previously DG (Fire Services), has been named as the new ADG and IGP (Law and Order), replacing Jawed Shamim “with immediate effect and in the interest of public service”. Shamim will now take over the DG (Fire Services) position.
In a letter, the EC said “…the particular provisions of Model Code of Conduct relating to the ‘party in power’ which inter alia says that the party in power whether at the Centre or in the States concerned, shall ensure that no cause is given for any complaint that it has used its official position for the purposes of its election campaign”.
“The Ministers shall not combine their official visit with electioneering work and also shall not make use of official machinery or personnel during the electioneering work.” There shall be a total ban on use of official vehicle by any political party, candidate or any other person connected with election (except officials performing any election related official duty) for campaigning, electioneering or election related travel during elections. The government transport including official air-crafts, vehicles, machinery and personnel shall not be used for furtherance of the interest of the party in power,” the EC said in its communiques.
The EC also stated that public places such as maidans etc., for holding election meetings, and use of helipads for air-flights in connection with elections shall not be monopolised by itself. Other parties and candidates shall be allowed the use of such places and facilities on the same terms and conditions on which they are used by the party in power,” it said.
The EC further points out that rest houses, dak bungalows or other government accommodation where elections have been announced or are taking place can be given to the political functionaries who are provided security by the State in Z scale or above or equivalent by various State Governments or the Central Government under provisions of their laws, on equitable basis.
“This shall be subject to condition that such accommodation is not already allotted or occupied by election related officials or Observers. Such political functionaries shall not carry out any political activity while staying in the Government Guest Houses/Rest Houses or other Government accommodation etc,” it said.
The poll body further said that no advertisements shall be issued in electronic and print media highlighting the achievements of the government at the cost of public exchequer. “If any advertisement has already been released for telecast/broadcast or publication in the print media, it must be ensured that the telecast/broadcast of such ads on electronic media is stopped forthwith and that no such ad is published in any newspapers, magazines, etc., i.e. in print media, from today itself and it should be immediatelywithdrawn,” it said.
The MCC is a set of rules put in force by the Election Commission of India to guarantee free and fair elections. It is a set of norms that have evolved with political parties consenting to abide by the principles embodied in the said code.
