Complying with the direction of the Election Commission, the Puducherry government has deleted the references of Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Speaker V. Sabapathy and other Ministers from the official website. No images of the chief minister and others have been found on the website as of now. Similarly, the references that highlight the achievements of concerned departments, but eulogizing the same as personal achievements of politicians, who happen to be the Ministers, have also been removed.
Government sources said that the current position would continue till the model code of conduct was in place. It was basically to avoid the ruling party gaining undue advantage by using the website. However, all references would be uploaded immediately after the elections.
Quoting the clause VII (IV) of Model Code of Conduct for guidance of political parties and candidate, K. Ajay Kumar, Principal Secretary, Election Commission of India had said that the party in power whether in the Centre, State or Union Territories should not give room for any complaint that it had used any position for the purpose of election campaign by advertising at the cost of exchequer in the news papers and the media and the misuse of official mass media during the election period for partisan coverage of political news and publicity. Though the Puducherry government has acted as per the direction of EC, it is said that the references of ruling party in Tamil Nadu is yet to be changed on the official website of Tamil Nadu government.
