Haryana Chief Electoral Officer, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal, stated that all political parties and candidates must follow the rules of the Election Commission during the Haryana Assembly General Elections as elections will be conducted transparently and fairly in the state, according to the directions of the Election Commission of India.
He said that any political party planning to hold a rally or roadshow must obtain permission from the concerned district administration and the roadshows should not cause traffic jams. Apart from this, loudspeakers will not be used between 10 PM and 6 AM.
Sh. Pankaj Agarwal further stated that during the Model Code of Conduct, political parties are not allowed to use any government rest house for political meetings, gatherings, or events. Also, no one should exploit voters' caste or communal feelings, and activities that increase discord or hatred, or create tension among different castes, communities, religious or linguistic groups, should be avoided.
Apart from this, political parties and candidates cannot use temples, mosques, churches, gurdwaras, or any place of worship for election campaigns, such as speeches, posters, or music, added the Chief Electoral Officer.The Chief Electoral Officer said that at the district level, election expenditure monitoring teams will oversee the candidates' programmes.
Candidates must adhere to the Model Code of Conduct during their election events. He said that the Election Department has fixed rates for tents, food, tea, vehicles, promotional materials, etc., to track election expenses. Candidates are required to submit their expenditure details to the concerned district election office.
Special social media monitoring for Code of Conduct compliance - Chief Electoral Officer
Social media promotion costs to be added to candidates' or parties' accounts as per Election Commission guidelines
Haryana Chief Electoral Officer, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal said that both the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Haryana and the District Administration are fully committed to ensuring that the Haryana Assembly elections are conducted transparently and fairly.
Various teams are closely monitoring social media platforms, in line with the Election Commission of India's directives, to ensure adherence to the Model Code of Conduct. Expenses for advertisements circulated via social media will also be added to the accounts of the respective candidates or parties.
He said that during the code of conduct period, no candidate or party is permitted to directly or indirectly disseminate misleading election materials. Strict action will be taken against those found violating these rules.Sh. Agarwal further stated that the Model Code of Conduct will remain in effect until the elections are completed, and no violations will be tolerated.
Various teams have been established to ensure compliance. These teams are keeping a close watch on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp groups, and X. He added that, just like newspapers, television, and radio, social media is also used for election promotion, and the associated expenses will be added to the accounts of the concerned candidates or parties.
The Chief Electoral Officer stated that the district-level teams, formed according to the Election Commission’s directives, will monitor social media during the elections. If any advertisement is detected, it will be reported to the expenditure monitoring team, and the expenses will be added to the respective candidate's or party's account.
Sh. Agarwal emphasised the importance of monitoring social media during elections. Candidates and parties frequently use social media platforms such as YouTube for promotion. If the monitoring team identifies any content favouring a particular caste, religion, or spreading misleading information that violates the Model Code of Conduct, action will be taken against the operators of the concerned YouTube channels.
The Chief Electoral Officer also said that the Model Code of Conduct applies equally to all forms of media, including newspapers, television, radio, and social media. Any news published or broadcasted must remain impartial. The media should refrain from publishing or airing content that favours or opposes any religion, caste, or community.
He further stated that prior approval from the MCMC committee is necessary before publishing any advertisement in newspapers or channels. Similarly, administrative approval is required for advertisements or any other promotional content on social media. As per the Election Commission's guidelines, the cost of any advertisement, in any form, will be charged to the concerned candidate or party.
Media's crucial role in ensuring fair and peaceful elections
The media is the fourth pillar of democracy and plays a crucial role in ensuring that elections are conducted fairly and peacefully. The media’s duty is not just to report news, but also to contribute to maintaining harmony in society. The media has always played a positive role in society.
To ensure the transparent conduct of the Lok Sabha elections, all those connected with newspapers, news channels, and other social media platforms are urged not to promote any misleading material that could violate the Model Code of Conduct, said the Chief Electoral Officer.