Politicians bypass code of conduct to continue poll pitch
are increasingly exploiting a loophole in election law that enables them to reach out to voters through social and electronic media in constituencies where campaigning has ended by delivering political speeches from non-polling areas.
PM Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav cleverly used this loophole to send a message to the voters of UP, a day ahead of the final phase of polling in the state.
Modi accused the Akhilesh Yadav government of slow development work in UP, while inaugurating multiple projects at Bharuch in Gujarat and addressing a function to commemorate the centenary celebrations of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India in Delhi on Tuesday.
Gandhi used a Congress convention in Delhi to launch a blistering attack on the PM for conducting back-to-back road shows in Varanasi while Akhilesh hit out at Modi in Lucknow during a press conference on the issue of rape accused ministerial colleague Gayatri Prajapati.
According to the Representation of the People Act 1951, convening, holding or attending, joining or addressing any public meeting or procession are prohibited for 48 hours till the conclusion of polling in an election going area.
Similarly, there is also a bar on displaying or propagating through cinematography, television or other similar apparatus any election matter that could influence or impact the poll outcome. The Act also says any person contravening these provisions could either be punished with imprisonment up to two years or fined, or both.
But the poll panel’s hands appear to be tied.
“If a statement is made outside the area under model code of conduct, it does not result in violation unless there is a reference to poll going area,” chief election commissioner Nasim Ziadi had told HT last week.
“We have introduced pre- certification of print ads. If one party gives an ad on the day of the poll making an allegation against another, the other cannot rebut it. The damage is done. We have written to the law ministry to amend the section 126. It is not possible to filter electronic signals,” he said.
Former CEC SY Qureshi admitted that the political class is using this loophole (in the Act). “As of now, nothing can be done legally,” he told HT.
Varanasi recorded a 63.63% turnout in the last phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls on Wednesday, an increase from the 57.92% votes that were cast in the district in 2012.
Voting started on a slow note in the morning but picked up pace with long queues being formed at polling booths. By noon, the vot ing percentage was recorded at 23.76%. It rose to 53.55% by 3pm and touched 63.63% by the end of polling. Ajgara constituency recorded the highest turnout of 68.22% in the district. Shivpur was second at 67.42%.
The Varanasi South assembly constituency, where PM Naren dra Modi addressed a rally in the last leg of the campaign, recorded 66.33% voting. Varanasi North registered a turnout of 61.32%.
Varanasi Cantonment was eighth with the lowest voting per centage of 58%. PM Narendra Modi’s road show covered the Cantonment and Varanasi South seats on March 4. Another road show by the PM covered Vara nasi North on March 5.
In Rohania, 61.47% votes were polled. The PM had addressed a rally at Khushipur in Rohania on March 6 before concluding his poll campaign. Sevapur recorded 65.47% polling. Pindra which is represented by Con gress MLA Ajay Rai, recorded 61.66% voter turnout.
Five of Varanasi district’s eight assembly seats are part of PM’S Lok Sabha constituency which political observers said was one of the reasons why the region witnessed a high-voltage campaign this time around.
“In no other elections has the campaign touched such a high pitch in Varanasi. All this hap pened because Varanasi is repre sented in parliament by PM Modi,” RR Jha, former dean fac ulty of social science at BHU, said
Jha added that the PM had put in extra efforts to keep his credi bility in his Lok Sabha seat intact “Modi held road shows and three rallies in order to be doubly sure of his party’s victory,” he said.