The poll watchdog has barred the Chief Minister, ministers and political appointees in the poll-bound Punjab from hearing appeals filed by the people before statutory bodies till the election process is over as their decisions can influence voters.
Similar directions have also been issued by the Election Commission of India to other poll bound States, including Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, and Uttrakhand.
The poll panel has shot off a communique to the state’s Chief Secretary and Chief Electoral Officer maintaining that hearings by the politicians “may have direct or indirect influence on voters and may also disturb the level playing field” during elections.
The directions came after it came to the notice of the Commission, during its recent meeting to the state to review poll preparedness, that politically appointed office bearers of various statutory bodies continue to hear appeals filed by persons under various prevailing laws in the State even after the imposition of model code of conduct, since January 4.
“..All such hearings by...of statutory bodies should be deferred till the conclusion of poll in all constituencies in your state. If any such hearing is required to be held in compliance with the mandatory provisions of law or any court order, such hearing in lieu of Chief Minister or Ministers or Politically appointed office bearers of statutory bodies, should be held by a Secretary level officer nominated by the Chief Secretary...,” the Commission has made it clear.
The Commission has also asked the state to send a compliance report by Tuesday.
The Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, on the concluding day of his two-day state visit on Thursday, had issued directions to “put on hold” all the work carried out by the political appointees on the state government’s various statutory boards.
“Political parties have informed us that the State Government has made large number of politically motivated appointments of party functionaries to various statutory boards, which are now misusing the official machinery for political mileage,” said Zaidi, adding the Chief Secretary has been directed that “all statutory functions would be discharged by the secretaries in case there is some urgency, otherwise, such functions should be put on hold till the imposition of model code of conduct.”