Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dr. Neha Arora has said that during the assembly elections, political parties and candidates should avoid making statements that hurt anyone's sentiments. Such statements are a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. FIRs will be registered against them and action will be taken. She said that an advisory has already been issued in this regard. These guidelines of the Election Commission are being made available to political parties and candidates again. She was addressing a press conference at Nirvachan Sadan, Dhurwa on Saturday.

Dr Arora said that the Election Commission's guidelines mainly state that no appeal will be made on the basis of caste/communal sentiments of voters. Political parties and workers will not make any false statements without factual basis with the aim of misleading voters. Other parties or workers of other parties should not be criticized in a distorted manner without proven allegations. Any aspect of the personal life of leaders or workers, which is not related to public activities, will not be criticized. The lowest level of personal attack will not be used to insult one's opponent.

Places of worship will not be used for election campaigning. Especially references to religious ridicule and condemnation cannot be made. Political parties and candidates have to refrain from any such act/action/statement, which can be considered against the honour and dignity of women. Unverified and misleading advertisements will not be given in the media. Advertisements will not be given in a disguised manner in the form of news material.

Posting/sharing posts on social media that insult or disrespect opponents and are below dignity will be considered a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

She informed that a total of 805 nominations have been filed in the 43 assembly constituencies of the first phase. The maximum nominations, 32 each, have been filed in East and West Jamshedpur. The least nominations, 11 each, have been filed in Simaria and Khunti. Action is being taken by registering 19 FIRs so far against violation of the Model Code of Conduct. On the other hand, since the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, illegal material and cash worth Rs 57.66 crore have been seized in the state.