What is code of conduct during Polling Day?
Q. Which of the following is/are true?
1) Candidates shall not display any posters, flags, symbols in their camps on polling day.
2) Election campaign processions shall be so regulated as to keep as much to the right of the road as possible.- Published on 17 Mar 17a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER: Both 1 and 2
Code of Conduct for processions -
a. A party or candidate organizing a procession shall decide before hand the time and place of the starting of the procession, the route to be followed and the time and place at which the procession will terminate.
b. There shall ordinarily be no deviation from the programme.
c. The organizers shall give advance intimation to the local police authorities of the programme so as to enable the latter to make necessary arrangements.
d. The organizers shall ascertain if any restrictive orders are in force in the localities through which the procession has to pass, and shall comply with the restrictions unless exempted specially by the competent authority.
e. Any traffic regulations or restrictions shall also be carefully adhered to.
f. The organizers shall take steps in advance to arrange for passage of the procession so that there is no block or hindrance to traffic.
g. If the procession is very long, it shall be organized in segments of suitable lengths, so that at convenient intervals,especially at points where the procession has to pass road junctions, the passage of held up traffic could be allowed by stages thus avoiding heavy traffic congestion.
h. Processions shall be so regulated as to keep as much to the right of the road as possible and the direction and advice of the police on duty shall be strictly complied with.
i. If two or more political parties or candidates propose to take processions over the same route or parts thereof at about the same time, the organizers shall establish contact well in advance and decide upon the measures to be taken to see that the processions do not clash or cause hindrance to traffic.
j. The assistance of the local police shall be availed of for arriving at a satisfactory arrangement.
k. The political parties or candidates shall exercise control to the maximum extent possible in the matter of processionists carrying articles which may be put to misuse by undesirable elements especially in moments of excitement.
l. The carrying of effigies purporting to represent members of other political parties or their leaders, burning such effigies in public and such other forms of demonstration shall not be countenanced by any political party or candidate.
Code of Conduct during Polling Day - All political parties and candidates shall -
a. Co-operate with the officers on election duty to ensure peaceful and orderly polling and complete freedom to the voters to exercise their franchise without being subjected to any annoyance or obstruction.
b. Supply to their authorized workers, suitable badges or identity cards.
c. Agree that the identity slip supplied by them to voters shall be on plain (white) paper and shall not contain any symbol, name of the candidate or the name of the party.
d. Refrain from serving or distributing liquor on polling day and during the twenty-four hours preceding it.
e. Not allow unnecessary crowd to be collected near the camps set up by the political parties and candidates near the polling booths so as to avoid confrontation and tension among workers and sympathizers of the parties and the candidates.
f. Ensure that the candidate’s camps shall be simple.
g. They shall not display any posters, flags, symbols or any other propaganda material.
h. No eatable shall be served or crowd allowed at the camps.
i. Co-operate with the authorities in complying with the restrictions to be imposed on the plying of vehicles on the polling day and obtain permits for them which should be displayed prominently on those vehicles.
