Amid criticisms of being soft on the ruling party in the ongoing General Elections, the Election Commission of India on Tuesday maintained that since the enforcement of Model Code of Conduct (MCC), it is “broadly satisfied with the core functioning of conduct of peaceful, inducement free elections with enthusiastic participation of voters.”
In its second Suo motu report on two month’s enforcement of MCC, the Commission said that it has resolved over 90% of complaints it received except for a few from the Indian National Congress and the BJP. It said that the pending complaints were related to divisive statements by top Star campaigners on communal, caste, regional language divide, or on sanctity of Constitution of India.
ECI said that it has an approximately 425 major complaints, excluding canvassing related or clarificatory complaints have been filed by various political parties and candidates at the level of ECI and CEOs. Of these, action has been taken (or matter disposed) in 400 cases. Approximately 170 were filed by INC, 95 by BJP and and 160 complaints were filed by Others.
The Commission said that it has adopted a new course of issuing advisories to Party Presidents/Chairpersons/General Secretaries of all recognised political parties urging them to ask their leaders/candidates/star campaigners not to make speeches/ utterances which are in direct or indirect violation of MCC.
It also informed that 25 delegations from 16 political parties have met the Commission to lodge their grievances/ complaints on alleged violations of Model code, apart from the delegations Chief Electoral Officers met in the States.
Some prominent actions taken under MCC framework includes:
– On INC complaint, CEO of Zila Parishad of a district in Haryana was transferred on receiving complaint for involvement in election campaign for a candidate.
– On INC complaint of capturing of a polling booth and tampering of EVM in Dahod Parliamentary Constituency of Gujarat, re-poll was ordered and entire polling and police parties were placed under suspension, and concerned State authorities have been directed to initiate departmental proceedings against them.
– On complaint of INC, a post from ‘BJP4Karnataka’ Twitter ‘X’ account was taken down on being found violative of MCC. A FIR was also registered in the matter.
– On INC’s complaint that the morphed images of Congress leaders are being put up with a malafide intent on a social media site, ECI directed to lodge FIR against the Instagram handle ‘Bol Himachal’ and directed to take necessary statutory action for removal of alleged objectionable social media posts.
– On BJP’s complaint, FIR lodged under Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 against Madhya Pradesh State INC President for making objectionable remarks against a former lady Minister.
– Two FIRs against BJP candidate in Hyderabad PC in Telangana were filed on poll day for canvassing and influencing voters in 100 meters vicinity of polling station on poll day.
– On complaint of National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu was censured for his statements calling Jagan Mohan Reddy “pyscho” in behaviour and claiming that his “mental condition” is not good. He was directed to remain careful and respectful towards PwDs in his public utterances in the future.
– A complaint was registered on 22.04.2024 in Tura Police Station, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya under Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 against Kritenberth Marak who forced a PwD person to wear a scarf of NPP and participate in a video without his consent.
The Commission said that a total of 4,22,432 complaints have been filed on C-Vigil App/Commission’s portal on violations for citizens as on 14th May 2024, of which, action has been taken in 4,22,079 (99.9%) cases and of these, 88.7% of complaints were resolved in average time of less than 100 minutes. Because of the robustness of C-Vigil App, there is substantial reduction in illegal hoardings, defacement of property, campaigning beyond permissible time, deployment of vehicles beyond permitted ones, ECI maintained.
Similarly, 2,31,479 permissions have been given on Suvidha portal as on 14th May 2024 leading to elimination of discretion in grant of entitlements by using FIFO (First-In-First-Out) and ease of election related facilitation for candidates / political parties.
– Suo motu removal of officers holding dual charges as Principal Secretaries to Chief Ministers in six states namely Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, as they were holding charge of Home / General Administration department also. This was to distance election-related senior officers with control over DMs/DEOs/ROs and SPs, from Chief Minister’s offices.
– Suo motu removal of DGP West Bengal as he was barred from election duty in previous elections also.
– Suo motu transfer of non-cadre officers who were posted at leadership positions as District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) in four states namely Gujarat, Punjab, Odisha and West Bengal.
– Suo motu transfer of officers in Punjab, Haryana and Assam because of their kinship or familial association with the elected political representatives.
– On complaint from INC and AAP, directive to MeitY to stop transmission of Government of India’s Viksit Bharat Message on Whatsapp post announcement of elections.
– On complaint from INC and AAP, directive to all States/UTs for compliance of ECI instructions on removing of defacement from Government/public premises with immediate effect.
– On complaint from DMK, FIR was registered against BJP Minister for her unverified allegations on Rameshwar Café Blast.
– On complaint from INC, directions to Cabinet Secretary for compliance of ECI instructions on removing of defacement from Government/public premises including hoardings, photos, and messages from DMRC trains and petrol pump, highways, etc.
– On complaint from INC, directions to CBDT for verification of any mismatch in assets declaration by a Union Minister in his affidavit.
– On complaint from AITMC, notice to BJP leader Dilip Ghosh for objectionable and disrespectful remarks towards Mamta Banerjee.
– On complaint from BJP, notice to Supriya Shrinate and Surjewala, both from INC for their derogatory remarks against Kangana Ranaut and Hema Malini respectively.
– FIR was lodged against remarks made by Anitha R Radhakrishnan, DMK leader towards PM.
– On INC complaint, directions have been issued to Municipal authorities in Delhi to remove cut-outs of star campaigners from various colleges.
