Political parties urged to exercise restraint during rallies and meetings

New Delhi.

Election Commission has urged political parties and candidates to adhere to model code of conduct for ensuring free and fair polling during 3-phase Lok Sabha elections. The commission has provided copies of modal code of conduct to political parties and candidates.

Political parties and candidates have been urged by the commission not to indulge in any activity which may inflammate religious, casteist or linguistic disharmony or create hatred or escalate tension. While criticizing political parties, criticism should be confined to their programmes & policies, conduct and work. It is also necessary that personal aspects of leaders, which are not linked with public life, should not be highlighted. Political parties should not level unverified allegations against their opponents and should not distort other political leaders’ statements. Political parties have been urged not to invoke casteist or communal sentiments to garner votes. Mosques, churches, temples and other places of worship should not be used for electioneering.

Political parties and candidates should ensure that their workers should not disturb rallies, public meetings etc. of other parties by raising verbal or written questions and distributing pamphlets of their party. No party should take its rally on the route where public meeting of another party is being held. Workers of a political party should not try to remove posters of another party where it is holding a public meeting.

Political parties have been urged to give advance information to local authorities about place and time of proposed meeting so that traffic can be controlled and law & order maintained. The commission has also urged political parties and candidates to ensure whether prohibitory orders are in place in the area where they plan to hold meeting. Political parties should also obtain prior permission for use of loudspeakers and any other facility.

The commission urged political parties and candidates to ensure during rallies to give prior information to administrative officers about their originating place, route and culmination place and time. They should also keep in mind that prohibitory orders are not in place in the area where they plan to hold public meeting or rally. No party workers should carry or burn effigies of other parties’ leaders at public places and also should not support other such kind of demonstrations.