District election officers of respective districts have issued appeals to all the political parties, candidates, and voters to follow the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) which has been enforced with the announcement of 18th Lok Sabha Election, 2024 by the Election Commission of India.
It is advised not to carry more than Rs 50,000 in cash or above which may be used to induce or bribe the voters.
Carrying of contraband drugs and illicit liquor of any kind shall not be permitted and the district administrations and the Police Department are being instituted and deployed various personnel/manpower such as Flying Squad Teams and Static Surveillance Teams as countermeasures to check such activities.
Under the Section 123(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, it has been informed that any direct or indirect interference or attempt to interfere on the part of the Candidate or of his agent or any other person with the consent of the Candidate or his election agent with the free exercise of any electoral right is deemed to be a corrupt practice.
Under the Section 171 B of the Indian Penal Code, any person giving or accepting any gratification in cash or kind during election process with a view to inducing any person to exercise his or her right is punishable with imprisonment to one year or with fine or both.
As per the Section 171 C of Indian Penal Code, any undue presence or threat of any kind on the Candidate or the voter in the process of election is punishable up to one year or with fine or both. The District Administration has instituted put in place ‘Seizure of Cash Committee’ and (vi) An appeal issued by district election officer Imphal East Khumanthem Diana stated that Monitoring Teams at various locations and public/citizens have been requested to report any kind of violation of any kind to the Sector Officers/Special Executive Magistrates, Flying Squad Teams, Surveillance Teams for effective control over such activities
The District Control Rooms are being installed/set up to monitor such things and any violation of Model Code of Conduct can be reported at the said facility, it mentioned.
The district toll free helpline number 1950, CVigil Citizen App and ECI website https://eci-citizenservices.eci.nic in can be used to lodge any complaint, it added.
