Tiruchi Collector warns parties on using children for campaign

Permission must for ads in television channels, newspapers

Legal action will be initiated if children were used for campaigning, District Collector and Returning Officer Jayashree Muralidharan said on Thursday.

Speaking at a meeting to brief candidates contesting the Lok Sabha election here, Ms.Muralidharan said also said crackers should not be burst during campaign causing hindrance to the public. Action would be initiated if complaints were received in this regard.

Permission should be obtained 48 hours before conducting meetings or rallies. A single-window system has been put in place to grant permission for meetings and rallies within 36 hours from the receipt of applications. Although candidates can use any number of vehicles for campaigning, permission should be obtained for all vehicles. Permission should be obtained from the Media Monitoring Committee before issuing advertisements in local television channels or newspapers. Applications should be submitted with the Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations in the district, who is the member-secretary of the committee. Details of the advertisement and the expenditure should be clearly mentioned. Candidates should also provide details of their parties star campaigners to the Election Office in the district so as to ensure that the expenses incurred for their campaign was not included in the expenditure account of the candidates. Rallies and campaign should be conducted without causing any hindrance to traffic. Loudspeakers should not be used between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. No other person, expect the candidate and their agents, can enter the polling stations. Booth slips issued by the parties should be in plain white paper and should not carry the names or their symbols, she said.

Complaints, if any regarding distribution of money or gifts, can be lodged over the toll-free number 1800 425 7030, she added. Harendra Nath Bora, General Observer for the constituency, urged the candidates to extend their cooperation for the smooth conduct of the election. Shivprakash V.Baddi and Satyajit Singh, Expenditure Observers, briefed the candidates about the rules for submitting their expenditure accounts. Mr.Baddi told the candidates that they have to submit their accounts in three stages, first by April 12 or 13 and the next before April 17 or 18. The third and final account should be submitted by April 21-22, he said.