The Election Commission of India on Saturday took a tough stance on instances of political parties and candidates violating the Model Code of Conduct rules ahead of Lok Sabha polls. Announcing the poll schedule at a packed press conference in the national capital, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar listed out a set of advisories for political parties, urging parties to refrain from personal attacks and use of foul language.
“We are often told that we issue notices for MCC violations, but what after that? This time, we are saying that we will go beyond issuing notices. We have the past record and it will be considered while deciding on the action that we will take against candidates for proven offences,” CEC Kumar said.
Kumar said that the Election Commission is fully prepared to deal with the issue of plummeting discourse during the election campaign. “We urge parties to refrain from personal attacks and foul language. No-go areas in speeches are defined to maintain civility. Let’s not cross lines in our rivalry,” the EC said in a post on Twitter sharing the advisory to political parties.
“My advice to political parties is this – please refrain from personal attacks, making unsubstantiated allegations and using foul or unbecoming language. DO not cross the red line,” CEC Kumar said.
What does the EC advisory to political parties say?
The advisory released by the Election Commission states that the political parties must foster a healthier political discourse. It urged parties to prioritise discussions that inspire unity rather than sow division and advocated for issue-based campaigning. The parties have asked to avoid tactics that rely on hate speech or appeals to caste or religion. Additionally, criticism of private lives has been discouraged, and parties have been encouraged to reflect on past violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) to ensure a more civilised approach to campaigning in the upcoming General Elections of 2024.
Besides all this, the advisory stresses the importance of avoiding the distribution of unverified or misleading advertisements, as well as refraining from presenting advertisements as news. Social media posts are expected to be restrained, with a call to refrain from vilifying or insulting rivals. Lastly, the advisory reminded parties’ star campaigners of their responsibility to maintain decorum throughout the campaigning process.