Lok Sabha Elections-2024 Criticism of political parties must be limited to their policies and programmes, DC to Political representatives Approvals Must for Rally, Nukkad Natak, Loud Speaker, vehicles to be used for the campaign etc.
Apprises of online permissions through app Suvidha Appeals general public to report violation of MCC on C-Vigil Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, March 17, 2024: To keep updated the political parties of the election programme and model code of conduct in the wake of Lok Sabha Elections-2024, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer, Mrs Aashika Jain, today, held a meeting with political parties’ representatives at District Administrative Complex, Mohali.
She said that criticism of political parties must be limited to their policies and programmes, records and work and criticism of all aspects of private life shall be avoided. No activity which may aggravate existing differences create mutual hatred or cause tension between castes and communities, religious or linguistic shall be permitted.
Activities such as; using caste and communal feelings to secure votes, criticising candidates based on unverified reports, bribing or intimidating voters organising demonstrations or picketing outside houses of persons to protest against their opinions and disturbing the public meetings organised by another political party, are prohibited.
She said that for the parliamentary constituencies of Punjab, May 07th (Tuesday) has been set for commencing of the process of Nominations. The last date for nominations is set for May 14th, 2024 (Tuesday), with scrutiny of nominations to take place on May 15th, 2024 (Wednesday).
The Candidates can withdraw their nominations till May 17th, 2024 (Friday). The Polling Day is scheduled for June 1st, 2024 (Saturday) in Punjab, with the counting of votes set for June 4th, 2024 (Tuesday) encompassing the entire country, including Punjab.
The final date for the completion of elections is June 6th, 2024 (Thursday). Mrs Jain further said that as the model code of conduct has come into force, so, we must abide by the guidelines set by the Election Commission of India for conducting free, fair and peaceful elections.
She also handed over various rates prescribed by the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab for the items to be used during the Lok Sabha Elections-2024 to representatives of various political parties and intimated to them that for equality and transparency for incurring expenditure by political parties during elections.
It is also requested to the representatives of all political parties that expenditure to be done by them and their candidate should be as per the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India. During the meeting, the representatives of all political parties are requested to make sure that no religious place should be used for election campaigns.
It is also requested that no government vehicle be used during the campaign. A copy of "Model Code of Conduct for the Guidance of Political Parties and Candidates, Do's and Dont's, Model Code of Conduct-Instructions-Election Campaign" is also supplied.
All the representatives of political parties are requested to follow the instructions issued by the Election Commission. In the meeting, It is also intimated to them regarding various approvals (Rally, Nukkad Natak, Loud Speaker, vehicles to be used for campaign etc) and also about the online Suvidha App of Election Commission of India.
She appealed to the general public to report any violation of the model code of conduct by online app C-Vigil. All the representatives of political parties present in the meeting assured the compliance of all these above instructions. The political parties whose representatives attended the meeting included AAP, Congress, SAD, CPI, BSP and BJP.