The Election Commission of India has issued detailed instruction and directions regarding the use of official vehicles.According to an official spokesman for the purpose of these instructions vehicles means and shall include any vehicles used or capable of being used for the purposes of transport, whether propelled by mechanical power or otherwise and will include trucks, lorries, tempos, jeeps, cars, auto-rickshaws, buses, belonging to the Central Government, State Government, Public undertaking of the Central and State government, Joint Sector undertakings of Central and State government, Local Bodies, Municipal Corporations, Municipalities , Marketing Boards, whatever name known, Cooperative societies, Autonomous district councils or any other body in which public funds have been invested.
The spokesman said that there shall be a total and absolute ban on the use of official vehicles for campaigning, electioneering or election related travel during elections. There shall be a total prohibition on the use of any vehicles such as helicopters, aircraft, (except as regulated by the Commission’s order on the subject) cars, jeeps, in automobiles, boat, hovercrafts , etc, belonging to the Central Government , State government, Public undertakings of the Central and State government, Joint sector undertaking Central and State government, Local bodies, Marketing boards , Cooperative societies, Autonomous district councils or any other body in which public funds, however, portion of the total, are invested for any purpose connected with the elections, by any political party, candidate or any other person connected with election.
He said that the use of such vehicles belonging to any of these authorities by anyone including Ministers of the Central or a State Government, even on payment, for campaigning or on tours connected with elections but with the alleged had bogusly certified purpose of election work in their capacity as Ministers is totally prohibited. The only exception from the prohibition will be the Prime Minister and other political personalities, who might, in view of extremist and terrorist activites and threat to their lives, require security of a high order and whose security requirements are governed by any statutory provisions made by Parliament or the State Legislature in this behalf. The above restriction shall also not apply in the case of President and Vice President of India, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha and such dignitaries visiting the state from other states. In the case of Speaker, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha these restrictions will be applicable at the time of General Elections to the Lok Sabha. It is, however, clarified that such exceptions shall not be made in respect of any Ministers of the Union or any state government.