ECI restricts tours of Punjab Ministers during election

CHANDIGARH:  The Election Commission of India (ECI), has issued guidelines regarding tours of Ministers during bye-elections in the Punjab State. 



Disclosing this here Tuesday, a Spokesman of Chief Electoral Office, Punjab said that as per the directions of ECI, all Ministers of the State, should not combine in any manner their official tours with election work after the announcement of the bye – elections. They should return to their head quarters on completion of their official tours.

In case where a Minister traveling on official work transits through the districts where the bye election is being held en route to any other district on official visit, he shall not halt in the districts where Model Code of Conduct is in force and shall not attend to any political work.

ECI has further directed that no official of any rank of the districts where the bye-election is being held shall be called to attend any meeting by any Minister in any district, even in the other districts where election is not being held. Any official who meets the Minister on his private visit to the constituency where elections are being held should be guilty of misconduct under the relevant service rules.

As per the instructions of ECI, no pilot car/cars with beacon lights of any colour or cars affixed with sirens of any kind making his presence conspicuous shall be used by any Minister during his private visit to the constituency even it the State administration has granted him a security cover requiring presence of armed guards accompanying him on tour.

The spokesman further said that the operation of Modal Code of Conduct at the time of bye election would be restricted only to the districts in which the constituency was located and the remaining parts of the State, the Modal Code of Conduct would not be in force.