Election Commission Enforces Model Code Of Conduct In Odisha; Know Restrictions

Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday issued an order to chief secretary and chief electoral officers of states including Odisha for enforcement of model code of conduct for elections to Lok Sabha and Assemblies.

In a letter issued on Saturday, the ECI said since it has announced the schedule for General Election to the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim, operation of model code of conduct has come into effect.

The Commission has given following directions for effective enforcement of provisions of the code of conduct:

Defacement of Property

All wall-writings, posters/papers or defacement in any other form, including cutouts, hoardings, banners, flags etc in government office and the campus wherein the office building is situated will be removed within 24 hours

All unauthorised political advertisement in the form of wall writing/posters/papers or defacement in any other form like cutout/hoardings, banners flags etc at public property and in public space like railway station, bus stands, airports, railway bridges, roadways, government buses, electric/telephone poles, municipal/local bodies’ buildings
will be removed within 48 hours

Subject to any local law and court’s direction, all unauthorised political advertisement displayed at private property will be removed.

Misuse of official vehicle

There will be a total ban on use of official vehicle by any political party, candidate or any other person connected with election (except officials performing any election related official duty) for campaigning, electioneering or election related travel during elections

Advertisement at the cost of public exchequer

No advertisements will be issued in electronic and print media highlighting the achievements of the government at the cost of public exchequer. If any advertisement has already been released for telecast/broadcast or publication in the print media, it must be ensured that the telecast/broadcast of such ads on electronic media is stopped forthwith and that no such ad is published in any newspapers, magazines, etc., i.e. in print media, from the date of announcement and it should be immediately withdrawn.

Photograph of political functionary at official website

All references of ministers, politicians or political parties available on Central/state government’s official website will be removed. The CEOs have to take immediate action to remove/hide the photographs of any political functionary from official websites of state department.

Development/construction related activities

The CEO/DEO will obtain the following list of works for reference in case of validating any complaint on violation of MCC within 72 hours of announcement of elections:
List of work which has already been started on ground.
List of fresh work which has not started on ground.

Activities for expenditure monitoring

Flying squad, FST, video team, intensive checking for liquor/cash/banned drugs, flying squads of excise department to check illicit trafficking of drug/narcotics to be immediately activated.

Complaint Monitoring System

The poll going states will have a complaint redressal mechanism based on website and call center. The toll-free number of call center is 1950. Complaints can be registered by making calls to the toll-free call center numbers or on the website.

IT Application

All IT applications including official website and social media will be made operational for dissemination of information for awareness of voters and political parties. Publicity of major election activity would be given through CEO/DEO/RO. For this purpose, all necessary information will be disseminated through radio, TV, cinema, government channel to display voter education material.

Media Centre

Efforts should be made for awareness among the voters, political parties and other stakeholder through media center about election system including use of EVM/VVPAT.

All registered political parties will approach the Media Certification and Monitoring Committees (MCMC) at district and state level for pre-certification of their political advertisements proposed to be issued on electronic media.

Control Room

The 24×7 control room at district level must be activated immediately and sufficient deployment of manpower and other logistics ensured by the DEO/CEO. A control room with complaint monitoring centre would also be set up at ECI secretariat during the entire election process.