Don’t Use Children In Election Campaign, EC Tells Political Parties

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday issued an advisory to political parties asking them not to use children in campaigning “in any form whatsoever,” including distribution of posters and pamphlets or sloganeering.

Elaborating its “zero tolerance” towards the use of children in any manner during the electoral process, ECI said that political leaders and candidates should not use children in any way for campaign activities, including holding a child in their arms, carrying a child in a vehicle or at rallies, PTI reported.

“This prohibition extends to the use of children to create semblance of a political campaign in any manner including use through poem, songs, spoken words, display of insignia of political party or candidate,” EC said in a statement.

However, the election panel made it clear that the mere presence of a child accompanied by their parent or guardian in the proximity of a political leader who is not involved in any election campaigning activity by the political party, will not be construed as a violation of guidelines.