CHANDIGARH: The Chief Electoral Officer Punjab, Dr. S. Karuna Raju today appealed to all contesting candidates in election to stuck mcc guidelines.
In its advisory to political parties/candidates Dr. Raju advised that as per model code of conduct for guidance of political parties and candidates maintenance of high standards electoral campaign must be followed.
He further said that as per these instructions no political party or candidate couldn't use places of worship as forum for election propaganda in any manner Further, Sections 3, 5 & 6 of The Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1988 (No. 41 of 1988) prohibit use of religious institutions or funds of religious institutions for the promotion or propagation of any political ideas or political activity or for benefit of any political party. Contravention of the instructions of the Sections is punishable by imprisonment upto 5 years and with fine.
Dr. Raju said that appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Also advised to avoid mouthing of provocative and inflammatory statements' calculated to cause mutual, hatred, disharmony or ill will, Use of intemperate and abusive language transgressing the limits of decency, and Attacks on the personal character and conduct of political rivals, in utterances through posters/hoardings, tend to incite mutual hatred, disharmony or ill-will and aggravate the differences between different political parties and classes of citizens on the grounds of religion, caste, community, etc and any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic, criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work. Parties and Candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.
CEO also apprised that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had issued advisory to the political parties/candidates advising to desist from any political propaganda that involves activities of defence forces.
In continuation of the general advisory regarding desisting from displaying of photographs of Defence personnel or photographs of functions involving Defence personnel in advertisements by the candidates/political parties, the political parties/candidates are further advised that their campaigners/candidates should refrain, as part of their election campaigning, from indulging in any political propaganda involving activities of the Defence forces.
Dr. Raju said that as per part 3, 3A and 3B of section 123 of representative of people act 1951, a candidate of his election agent or by any other person with the consent of a candidate of his election agent to vote or refrain from voting for any person on the ground of his religion, race, cast, community or language or the use of, or appealed to religious symbol or the use of, or appealed to national symbol such as national flag or national emblem for the furtherance of the prospects of the election of the candidate or for prejudicially affecting the election of any candidate.
CEO instructed all the Returning Officers and Deputy Commissioners to sensitize all candidates about model code of conduct and if any one violates the model code of conduct then immediate action should be taken against the violator.
He also appealed the voters of the state if they see any violation regarding model code of conduct they should register the complaint at cvigil app or helpline no. 1950.