NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Lok Sabha, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has warned all political parties of stern action against ‘direct or indirect’ violations of the model code of conduct (MCC). In an advisory issued on Friday, the poll body urged them, their leaders, and the contesting candidates to ‘remain within the confines of the MCC and the legal framework.’
The advisory states that no appeal should be made on the basis of caste or communal feelings of the voters and no activity, which may aggravate existing differences, create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes, communities, religious or linguistic groups, should be attempted.
The Commission further advised political parties and leaders not to make ‘false statements, utterances without factual basis aimed at misleading the voters’. It also said that criticism of other parties or their workers on the basis of unverified allegations or on distortions should be avoided.
“No aspect of the private life, not connected with the public activities, of the leaders or workers of other parties is to be criticised. Low level personal attacks to insult the rivals shall not be made. No temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras or any places of worship are to be used for election propaganda or electioneering. References which ridicule the relations between devotee and deity or suggestions of divine censure shall not be made,” the advisory reads.
Political parties and candidates have also been asked to refrain from any deeds, action or utterances that may be construed as being repugnant to the honour and dignity of women.
The ECI’s advisory said that unverified and misleading advertisements or ads masquerading as news are not to be given in the media.
“Social media posts vilifying and insulting the rivals or posts which are in bad taste or which are below dignity are not to be posted or shared,” it also said.
It emphasised that any genres of surrogate or indirect violation of MCC and surrogate means to lower the level of the election campaign will be dealt with sternly.
Some indirect or surrogate MCC violations noticed during previous elections are usage of inappropriate -- abusive at times -- vocabulary against star campaigners of other political parties, unsubstantiated allegations, slang conveying divine censure or personal vilification, social media posts or caricature crossing fine line of satire, personal attack on political rivals and state government publishing their welfare schemes in the neighbouring poll going states.
The ECI has also put star campaigners and candidates on ‘notice’ in case of violations that followed the previously known methodologies during elections to bypass the MCC.
While acknowledging the need to keep a balance between the freedom of expression and level playing field, the advisory noted that the Commission has been following a restrained approach since the previous few rounds of elections, presuming that its notice would serve as a moral censure to the candidate or star campaigner.
The Commission said that the orders issued by it are carefully crafted to ensure minimal disruption to campaigning activities rather than outright prohibitions. However, the objective to check on the level of discourse, using MCC notices in a judicious way, akin to a moral censure, may not be misunderstood and repeated in the next election cycle, stated officials.
