Bhubaneswar: In order to ensure free and fair elections to panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), slated to be held early next year, the State Election Commission (SEC) has released the model code of conduct to be followed by the parties and candidates.
The model code, which will remain in force from the date of issue of notification for the elections till the counting of votes is completed, the SEC stated.
As per the model code, the parties and candidates will refrain from resorting to criticism of private life of their rivals during the campaign. The criticism should be confined to policies and programmes of all contestants in the elections.
Any kind of criticism based on unverified allegations or distortion and would be considered as violation of the model code and would be viewed with a serious note by the SEC. They would also refrain from alluring the voters in any form.
Similarly, comments, speeches and campaigns in any form that would aggravate differences or create hatred or cause tension among different castes and communities and religious and linguistic groups should be avoided, the model code prescribed.
The code also stated that election meetings or campaign would not be allowed in any religious and government institutions.
There would be no campaigning will not be carried out from 8 pm to 7 am and the campaign with public address system will come to an end 36 hours before the election date.
It may be noted that the panchayat elections will have to be held by March 2022 since the term of all the PRIs will be over by that time.
According to an earlier notification, polling will be held for 853 Zilla Parishads with party symbols and for 91,916 wards and 6,794 panchayats on non-party basis.
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