Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Jaideep Govind has urged political parties and candidates to exercise restraint during electioneering for Vidhan Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh. He has also directed to ensure strict enforcement of model code of conduct imposed by Election Commission of India.
Elections will be held on November 25 in 227 Vidhan Sabha constituencies from 8 am to 5 pm and from 7 am to 3 pm in 3 constituencies of Balaghat district including 108-Baihar, 109-lanji and 110-Paraswara. Political parties and candidates have been urged not to indulge in any activity which may inflammate religious, casteist or linguistic disharmony or create hatred or escalate tension. While criticising political parties, criticism should be confined to their programmes and policies, conduct and work.
It is also necessary that personal aspects of leaders, which are not linked with public life, should not be highlighted. Political parties should not level unverified allegations against their opponents and should not distort other political leaders’ statements. Political parties have been urged not to invoke casteist or communal sentiments to garner votes. Mosques, churches, temples and other places of worship should not be used for electioneering. Political parties and candidates should ensure that their workers should not disturb rallies, public meetings etc. of other parties.
Workers of a political party should not try to remove posters of another party where it is holding a public meeting. Meanwhile, the Commission has directed district election officers to issue permits to all kinds of vehicles during Vidhan Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh. It has been said in the directives that action should be taken as per rules against electioneering vehicles plying without permission.
Office of the Chief Electoral Officer has directed all political parties to necessarily display vehicle permits on windscreen of every vehicle for which permit has been issued. Chief Electoral Officer Jaideep Govind has also directed district election officers to ensure checking of such vehicles with alertness. Flying squads and surveillance teams have been constituted for checking in the districts.