The State Election Commission has directed the commissioners of municipalities and municipal corporations that are going to polls next month to ensure stringent implementation of the election code of conduct in poll-bound areas.
The officials concerned should take adequate care to see that advertisements pertaining to government programmes were not issued in the areas going to polls. The officials should not participate in political meetings while the political parties would, however, be permitted to hold their meetings as part of the election campaign.
Effective immediately
The directions come in the light of the notification of schedule for 120 municipalities and 10 municipal corporations issued by the State Election Commission on Monday. State Election Commissioner V. Nagi Reddy said the model code of conduct had become effective in these urban local bodies with immediate effect.
Mr. Nagi Reddy reviewed the arrangements for the municipal elections, slated for January 22, with the commissioners of municipalities and senior officials through video conference on Tuesday.
He wanted the officials concerned to take steps to ensure that the political parties as well as contesting candidates adhered to the model code of conduct and there should be no deviation from this.
The Election Commissioner said the situation at the district level would be reviewed with senior district officials led by district collectors on December 27. This would be followed by a meeting of the political parties the next day to explain them about the rules and processes that would be adopted till the polling was completed.
Ballot boxes ready
He said the commission had decided to hold the elections through ballot paper and sufficient numbers of ballot papers and boxes were kept ready. The Commission would take the revised voter list of January 1 this year as the qualifying data for the conduct of the polls.
The officials concerned should take steps to prepare ward-wise lists of photo electoral rolls and ensure that eligible voters were not left out.
Security deposit
There would be no change in the security deposit that should be remitted by the contesting candidates and the election expenditure of the prospective candidates would be monitored from the date of issue of notification, January 7.
