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Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal on Saturday said that political parties and candidates will not be permitted by the Election Commission to use school and college playgrounds for election rallies.
He said that this ban is in accordance with a ruling from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Agarwal said that during the election campaign, the voter sentiments will not be exploited on the basis of caste, religion or community. He cited the importance of maintaining high ethical standards throughout the campaign. He said that the citizens of India have the right to freedom of expression under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution, but the objective of the Model Code of Conduct is mentioned under its various provisions and it should be observed strictly. According to a release, he said that no religious places such as temples, mosques, churches, or gurdwaras can be utilized for campaign purposes and speeches, posters, music, or any other election-related materials will not be used in these places. He said that photographs of defence personnel or events involving them must not be used in advertisements during the campaign. Regarding compliance of the election code of conduct by star campaigners, he said that the star campaigners should also comply with mode code of conduct strictly. To ensure transparency and accountability, the Election Commission has mandated the Chief Electoral Officer and District Election Officers to maintain register for violation of model code of conduct. This register will document the names of candidates, campaigners, and political parties, along with details of the violations, actions taken, and directions issued by the Election Office or the Election Commission. Information on these violations will be made publicly available, and interested parties, including the media, will be able to access this data, Agarwal said. Assembly polls in Haryana will be held on October 5 and votes will be counted on October 8 along with those in Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)
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