KANGPOKPI, Jan 7 : Ahead of the 11th Assembly election, a meeting of representatives of various political parties was convened here today at multi-purpose hall, DC complex, Kangpokpi DHQs.
Issues related to Model Code of Conduct, maintaining expenditure registers, defacement of property and other issues were discussed during the meeting.
Addressing the representatives, Deputy Commissioner Senapati, C Arthur W, IAS, who is also the District Election Officer, Senapati said that political parties should avoid indulging in personal clashes while ensuring peaceful conduct of the upcoming elections in the district on March 4.
The District Election Officer appealed to the political parties to follow the guidelines of the Election Commission in spirit and letter while adding that permissions regarding election campaigning will have to be taken in advance and all political parties should ensure that their timings and place of holding elections campaign do not clash.
He asked the representatives to refrain from using public and private property for the election campaigning by using posters, banners, etc. as doing it will amount to violation of the Election Commission of India instructions.
“Parties will have to take prior permissions from owner of the private property before using his or her property for campaigning”, the DEO said and asked all the political parties to refrain from pasting posters that malign the image of other candidates.
The meeting chaired by the District Election Officer, C Arthur W also dwelt on paid news and other contents in the media which are against the code of conduct enforced already in the State.
He said that ECI has issued instructions regarding requirement for pre-certification of political advertisement from the District Level Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC). Arthur also enlightened the representatives that application must be applied as per Annexure A of reference letter No.1 not later than 3 (three) days before the proposed date of advertisement in case of registered National and State parties while any other person or unregistered political parties need to apply not later than 7 (seven) days before the proposed date of advertisement.
“These procedures are mandatory while applying for advertisement in all forms of print and electronic media”, the DEO asserted and added that the District Level MCMC will check all the election related content in the media both print and electronics and inform the appellate authority.
He further said that legal provisions under sections 77 and 123 (6) of the representation of Peoples Act 1951 limiting the ceiling of expenditures of the candidates would be attracted and besides this provisions, Section 127 A of the Representation of Peoples’ Act 1051 and Section 171 H of IPC would be applied to the media agency while the District Level MCMC constituted as per instructions of the ECI will be monitoring incidences of ‘paid news’ at the district.
The DEO, Senapati said any complaint or permission regarding elections would be applied online through website www.ceomanipur.nic.in while briefing that for applications regarding complaints, people will have to apply on Samadhan portal and regarding permissions, the application will be available on Suvidha portal of the same website.
He also cautioned all concerned that any kind of violation will be dealt as per the guidelines of the Election Commission.
Representatives of the Indian National Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party were present during the meeting.
Rang Peter, MCS, Chief Executive Officer, ADC Senapati and SDOs Senapati and Kangpokpi including all officials concerned also participated in the meeting.
Source: The Sangai Express
