New Delhi: Forward of meeting polls in three northeastern states and numerous byelections, the Election Fee has reminded its area equipment and political events of a regulation and provisions of the mannequin code which prohibit the usage of locations of worship as a discussion board for election propaganda “in any method”.
In a letter to its chief electoral officers in all states and union territories on January 19, the ballot panel reminded them of its 2012 directions on the problem which had famous that the prevailing provisions of the mannequin code of conduct prohibit the usage of “locations of worship as a discussion board for election propaganda in any method”.
“Additional, Sections 3, 5 and 6 of The Non secular Establishments (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1988, prohibit the usage of non secular establishments or funds of spiritual establishments for the promotion or propagation of any political concepts or political exercise or for the advantage of any political celebration,” the letter learn.
Contravention of the provisions of any of those sections is punishable by imprisonment as much as 5 years and with a advantageous, it identified.
A replica of the letter has been despatched to leaders of all recognised nationwide and state events.
“The Fee wishes that the provisions of the prevailing regulation could also be dropped at the discover of all district election officers and returning officers in order to make sure that any violation of those provisions throughout election is handled firmly and FIRs/complaints are lodged below related provisions within the occasion of any offence below the stated sections of the Non secular Establishments (Prevention of Misuse) Act,” it stated.
The ballot watchdog additionally requested the chief electoral officers to flow into the provisions of the ballot code and the regulation to all political events primarily based of their states, together with state items of political events for his or her info.
Meeting polls can be held in Tripura on February 16, adopted by Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27, with the counting of votes scheduled for March 2. Together with Nagaland and Meghalaya, one Lok Sabha and 6 meeting seats would go for bypoll on February 27.
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