Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 14: Election Commission of India (ECI) has debarred the Ministers and other VVIPs related to election to Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council from Panchayat Quota from using pilot cars with beacon lights or with sirens of any kind during their private visit to the constituencies besides laying foundation stones and inauguration of projects and schemes till December 8, 2012 when the entire election process will conclude.
In a set of directions, the copy of which has been forwarded to all the Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and OSDs/Private Secretaries of all the Ministers by the General Administration Department, the Election Commission of India has debarred the Ministers and the VVIPs related to the election from using pilot cars with beacon lights of any colour and cars affixed with sirens of any kind during their private visit to the constituencies even if the State administration has granted them security cover requiring presence of armed guards accompanying them on tour.
The Election Commission has also prevented the Ministers of both Central and State Governments from combining their official visits with private visits/electioneering work. “When on official visit, they should return to their headquarters on completion of their official tours before going on any private tour/visit to the constituency”, the Election Commission said.
Stating that no official related to election should be called to attend any meeting by any Minister at any place, the Election Commission said, “any election related official, who meets the Minister on his private visit, will be deemed to be guilty of misconduct under the relevant service rules and if such an officer happens to be an officer mentioned in the Representation of People Act, 1957 of Jammu and Kashmir, the officer will also be additionally considered to have violated the statutory provisions of this Act and will be liable to penal action”.
Moreover, the Commission has prevented the Ministers and other political functionaries from calling member of any Panchayat for any official meeting and debarred the Ministers and other authorities from sanctioning grants/payments out of discretionary funds.
The Commission has also made it clear that no policy announcement or programme should be initiated in the Government departments related to the constituents of elections. “In these elections no new programme or policy should be announced by Panchayati Raj and other related departments”, the Election Commission made it clear, adding “even no new scheme/ announcement for direct or indirect benefit of voters should be made by the Government—whether Central or State”.
To check violation of the Model Code of Conduct provisions, the Election Commission has directed that a special video team should be put in place for every Tehsil for video-graphy of every political meeting.
Issuance of advertisements at the cost of public exchequer and misuse of official media for partisan coverage and publicity regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power should be scrupulously avoided, the Election Commissioner has stated categorically, adding there should not be laying of foundation stones or inauguration of projects/schemes during the period of election.
The Commission has also put a ban on the transfer of Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers and officials on poll duty till December 8, 2012 when the entire election process will complete.
In order to ensure strict compliance to the provisions of Model Code of Conduct, the General Administration Department of the State Government today issued clear directions to all the Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners besides Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) and Private Secretaries to the Ministers.
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