PANAJI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released a set of ‘first time’ guidelines thus tightening the screws on the activities of political parties as well as candidates, during their poll campaigning, including stringent restrictions on the election propaganda material and rallies/ processions.
Meanwhile, the state Chief Electoral Office, as a part of a drive to cleanse the defacement of government, public and private properties around the state, recorded 3,380 cases pertaining to materials like posters and banners, while removed 636 numbers of such material from the public property within last 24 hours. It also recorded similar 402 cases in the private property.
Coming out with the information as regards the ECI restrictions, state Chief Electoral Officer Kunal on Thursday said that now an application would be needed to be filed before his office to use video vans for election campaigning as well as NOC obtained from the department of transport to ensure that the modification, if any, of these vans conform to the Motor Vehicle Act. Furthermore, the use of motorbikes for the purpose of election campaign has been restricted, with no such convoy permitted to have more than ten motorbikes without a gap. If the number of motorbikes is above ten in a particular convoy, then a gap needs to be maintained after every ten such vehicles. Each of such motorbike would also be permitted to use only one flag of the respective political party having maximum dimension of 2 feet x 1 feet, with the stick holding the flag to be no more than 3 feet long.
Speaking further, Kunal said that there is a total and absolute ban on the road shows, which are held when the candidates arrive to file their nomination papers. “In addition, a candidate accompanied by only four authorised persons, would be allowed to go for filing his or her nomination papers,” he maintained, stating that all but one door of the office of the nomination filing authority would be closed, and these five people would have to enter through this door, with a CCTV camera recording their movement, including the actual time of their entry in this office.
For other road shows, forming part of the election campaign, the political parties would have to seek prior permission from the competent authority. In order to avoid inconvenience to the general public, such road shows, as far as possible would be allowed to be held on holidays or during non-peak hours. The routes of these road shows should also not include hospitals, trauma centres, blood banks and heavily crowded markets. Furthermore, the road shows must not cover more than half the width of the roads on which they are held, to ensure the safety of the general public. The convoy of the vehicles participating in these road shows also needs to be broken after every ten vehicles, by maintaining a gap of 200 metres.
The state Chief Electoral Officer also revealed that there is ban on using firearms and fireworks, including crackers during the road shows. “The ECI has also banned use of animals, spot, focus, flashlights, search lights, hooters and children, particularly those wearing uniform in the road shows,” he informed, adding that the maximum size of banner that can be carried along, during the road show must be 6 feet X 4 feet.
The ECI guidelines also state that the temporary election campaign offices of the political parties or independent candidates should not be opened by way of encroachment either on public or private property, or in any religious place or campus of such religious places, or contiguous to any educational institution/ hospital, or within 200 metres of an existing polling station.
The guidelines further maintain that such offices can display only one party flag and a banner with party symbols/ photographs. The size of the banners used in such offices should not exceed 4 feet x 8 feet, subject to further condition that if the local laws prescribe a lower size for banner/ hoarding, etc, then the lower size prescribed by the local law would prevail.
Addressing the media, Kunal also stated that there should be only three flags of a political party/ candidate to be used at the party workers’/ supporters’ residence as well as at the party office.
He further said that 40 flying squads apart from the returning officers and assistant returning officers, with the assistance of the police control room would maintain a strict vigil as to whether these guidelines are followed or not. “I, myself am making surprise rounds over all places to keep a check,” he stated on a parting note, concluding that strict action would be taken against those violating the laws.