Civic polls: DC issues stern instructions to adhere to poll code of conduct

Civic polls: DC issues stern instructions to adhere to poll code of conduct

mangaloretoday.com

Mangalore, March 1, 2013 : Deputy Commissioner N Prakash has said that the district administration is fully geared up to ensure that all   guidelines of the Election Commission with a view to conduct free and fair elections to the local administrative bodies in a peaceful way, are strictly adhered to.

 

Speaking to reporters at the DC office meeting hall on March 1, Friday, the DC who is also the District Election Officers,  said as per the  Election Code of Conduct, the  loudspeakers for publicity purposes can be used only from 7 am to 10 pm.

Candidates can use a vehicle for campaigning purposes after duly securing the permission of the election officer and after  pasting the  permission letter in the vehicle.

Campaigning will end on March 6 at 7 am, he said and added campaigning in any form within 100 meters radius of the polling booth is banned on the polling day. Booth level camps can be set up  by the candidates at a distance of 100 meters from the polling booth with due permission of the authorities.  However, the  booth level camps  should not have any poster, flags or symbols or campaign materials,  he added.

The DC said on the day of the election, a candidate, with due permission from the election officer, can use a maximum of five vehicles. But  ferrying voters to the polling booths in these vehicles is prohibited. If any such thing is noticed, then the vehicle would be attached and a criminal case would be registered against the persons concerned, the DC warned.

 Candidates contesting the Mangalore City Corporation election can  spend Rs 3 lakh each for campaigning. Candidates  contesting  for TMC  and Town Panchayat elections can spend a maximum of Rs 1.50 lakhs and Rs one lakhs respectively. The details of the expenses will have to be furnished to the  authorities every day  in the prescribed format. The same details will have to be produced before the authorities concerned  for scrutiny, the DC said.

Sector wise officials have been appointed to ensure  free and fair polls, he said adding there would be 32 officials in Mangalore City Corporation limits, 2 in Moodbidri, 3 in Bantwal, 4 in Puttur, 1 in Belthangady and 2 sector officers in Sullia.

The Election Observers are already on duty and any complaint regarding violation of poll code of conduct can be   made by calling 9448128199 in MCC limits, 9480878000  in Moodbidri, Ullal and Bantwal, while people  from Puttur, Belthangady and Sullia can call 9036278507  in case of any poll code of conduct violation.

Additional DC Dayananda, MCC Commissioner Dr Harish Kumar were also present.