A delegation led by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr VS Sampat and submitted a memorandum alleging that the notional rates decided for refreshments are exorbitant, much more than the market rate and there is no clarity of instructions at Returning Officer and Station House Officer levels.
Top sources told The Pioneer that Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit along with her Cabinet colleagues and Delhi Congress president Jai Prakash Agarwal met the CEC and submitted a memorandum highlighting lack of clarity on several instructions issued by officials related to election and campaigning and sought clarification on these issues.
Taking a note of the complaint, the CEC has directed electoral office of Delhi to convene an all-party meeting on this issue. The memorandum claimed that the notional rates decided for tea and other items are exorbitant and should be rationalised.
Even if the tea is served at the residence of political functionaries, it is charged. Sources said that Congress delegation has complained about stricter code of conduct by officials alleging that even when the notification has not been issued and the nomination has not been filed, the workers are prevented from distributing publicity material or campaign door-to-door even if it does not violate the Defacement Act or Printers Act.
“There is no clarity of instructions at the level of Returning Officers (ROs) and SHOs. The ROs and SHOs quote different rules; there is lack of uniformity. Permission for meetings are delayed at the level of ROs and SHOs when they ask for a meeting in the afternoons. It is advised that meetings should be convened at 10 am or at some other suitable time. Even when permissions are taken for organising functions, meetings or padyatras, permissions are not granted and even if they are given, they either reduce the number of persons or impose conditions,” said a Delhi Government Minister on condition of anonymity.
The Congress leaders alleged that single window system is not working properly. Earlier when ACPs were issuing permissions, the system worked better and at a faster pace, therefore, there is a need to revisit the working of a single window.
It was said that many officers are not aware that the expenditure on candidates will only commence when he/she files the nomination.Till such time, the expenditure can be booked in the party’s account and these things needs to be clarified by those assigned the election duty.
It was complained that the pre-certification of publicity material takes a lot of time. Even when there is no need for any pre-certification for print material, it is only the electronic media that media certification and monitoring cell does pre-certification.