The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday stated that its existing instructions regarding enforcement of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during by-elections to parliamentary/assembly constituencies provides that the Model Code of Conduct would be applicable to the district(s) comprising the assembly or parliamentary constituency going to such by-election.
It has been brought to the notice of the Commission that certain political parties and candidates are organising electioneering activities in the areas adjoining the district or constituency where the by-election is being conducted, ECI stated in a release issued by its joint director (Media) Anuj Chandak.
In this regard, all political parties and candidates are advised not to organise any political activities directly related to the by-elections even in the areas adjoining the district or constituency where the by-election are being held, it stated. The district election officers concerned will ensure that the MCC instructions and Covid guidelines relating to the norms of social distancing are followed in the districts adjoining to the poll going district or constituency, it added.
In such cases, MCC instructions would be applicable in the area of the concerned constituency only, it stated. In all other cases, aforesaid instructions would be enforced in the entire district(s) covering the constituency going for by- election(s), ECI stated. The above relaxation has been given with an objective that the operation of MCC does not hamper normal developmental and administrative functioning in the state and districts, it mentioned.
