The Election Commission of India has relaxed some provisions of the Model Code of Conduct in States where polling for Assembly elections is over, permitting, among other things, floating of tenders for approved works and field visits by ministers.
In a communication to the Chief Electoral Officers of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and Assam, the ECI secretariat said that as the polling was over in these States, some features of the Model Code would be relaxed. However, the code would remain in operation in respect of other aspects.
The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu had severely criticised the curbs imposed by the ECI, saying governance was in a limbo and that even routine activities such as holding review meetings for agriculture-related work had come to a standstill.
Under the relaxed terms, floating of tenders may be done for approved works, but tenders cannot be awarded without the ECI's permission. Works that had been finalised and for which work orders have been issued can now be started. Meeting and decision-making by local bodies may continue.
New works can be taken up under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, and funds can be released from the MPs' local area development schemes, but not MLA funds.
Relaxing restrictions on the use of vehicles by ministers, the ECI said use of flags and beacon lights would be permissible under local laws and rules, but such vehicles would not be allowed to enter the campus where strong rooms (containing electronic voting machines) were located.
Ministers, including Union ministers and secretaries, can tour and visit the field, but they should not call or review work of the police and revenue personnel or any other election official without the ECI's prior approval. “These officials shall not attend any review meeting called by them without the approval of the Commission. There will be no compromise on security bandobust, but protocol restriction on officials will continue as before,” the ECI said.
Ministers on official duty would be allowed the use of guest houses, except between May 11 and 15, when they would have to be reserved for Election Observers.
No procession or public meeting shall be allowed within one kilometre of the strong room campus.
