The Election of India has issued directions that keeping in view the imposition of code of conduct in the five states due to their Legislative Assembly elections no Central Minister, Chief Minister, Minister or any other political functionary in the state/ex-MP can do the honours at any Republic Day functions at any location within their home district or constituency or the constituency from where he or she was a contesting candidates or intends to contest.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab said that according to a communiqué received from ECI that the Commission has decided that there was no objection to the Central Ministers/Chief Ministers/Ministers in the States to do the honours in the main Republic Day functions at various locations subject to the condition that in their speeches, they should confine themselves to extolling the achievements of the Martyrs in securing freedom of the country, glory of the Indian State and so on, but under no circumstances they should become a platform for political campaign.
The spokesman further said that, however the ECI has no objection to the organization of Kavi Sammelan, Mushairas or other cultural functions organized in connection with the Republic Day celebrations and being attended by the Central Ministers, Chief Ministers, Ministers in States and others Political functionaries but they should take utmost care to ensure that no political speech be made on the occasion.
The ECI has further decided that investiture ceremonies at the National and State Level and distribution of Tamra Patras to freedom fighters, etc. would be done according to the existing conventions.