Electioneering to end at 6 p.m. today; rules to be in place till polling ends
head of polling for the Lok Sabha election, scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. on Friday, all electioneering and campaigning activities are to come to an end, and regulations would come into eect across the State from 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
The regulations will be in force till the poll ends, according to Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951.
Chief Electoral Ocer Satyabrata Sahoo, in an ocial release, said no one shall convene, hold or attend any public meeting or procession related to election. No one shall display to the public any election matter by means of cinematographs, television or other apparatus such as FM Radio, WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter. “This includes all electronic forms of communication, including SMS and the internet,” the release said.
Moreover, no one shall propagate any election matter to the public by holding or arranging the holding of any musical concert or theatrical performance or other form of entertainment or amusement, with a view to attracting members of the public thereto. “Any violation of this and the above two provisions is punishable with imprisonment for two years or a ne or both, with reference to Section 126 (2) of the RPA, 1951,” the release said.
All political functionaries and party workers, among others, who have been brought from outside and, thereby, are not the voters of a particular constituency should leave that constituency immediately after 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Wedding and community halls, lodges and guest houses would be checked to nd out if outsiders have been accommodated on the premises.
AVehicle usage
Vehicle permits provided to candidates, including star campaigners, would cease to be valid with eect from 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
Each of the contesting candidates would be entitled to one vehicle for his/her use in respect of the entire Lok Sabha constituency on the day of polling. One vehicle for the use of his/her election agent in respect of the entire constituency will also be allowed. As for Assembly constituencies that are a part of a Lok Sabha constituency, one vehicle for the use of an election agent or worker, or party workers, as the case may be, will be allowed.
“The permits of the vehicles indicated above will be issued by the Returning Ocer,” the release said. No candidate would be allowed to hire or procure or use a vehicle to transport voters to and from polling stations, the release added.
Temporary campaign oces of candidates/parties can be set up only 200 metres outside the polling station, and only two persons can man the premises, it added.