New Delhi: Poll code violations have been recorded against prominent leaders of political parties in at least two of the five states — Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, which voted Sunday — where elections are underway.
Among them are Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader and Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Badal, and Kanpur Mayor Pramila Pandey from the BJP.
Assembly polls are being held in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand. The poll violations range from flouting of Covid-19 norms, to clicking pictures inside polling booth, making “false” allegations against other parties, to campaigning after the electioneering deadline.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) or ‘Aachar Sanhita’ comes into effect immediately after the Election Commission (EC) announces the voting schedule, and remains in force till the declaration of results. These norms are to be abided by political parties, their campaigners and candidates.
The relevant state election commission issues notices to leaders for violation of the MCC during assembly elections. Though the EC does not have judicial ability to penalise violators, it has the power to issue show cause notices, or even bar candidates from campaigning. Police can register FIRs for poll code violation under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Also Read: BJP Punjab chief’s ‘Vote for Congress’ video goes viral on voting day. ‘Good for us’, says Congress
Uttar Pradesh
The first two cases of MCC violation were registered in UP in January against two political leaders — former Congress MLA Nadeem Javed and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Imran Masood. While Javed was accused of taking out an unauthorised cavalcade of five SUVs with party flags to address a gathering in Jaunpur, Masood allegedly organised an unauthorised public meeting at his residence.
BJP MLA from Bhojipura constituency Bahoran Lal Maurya was also booked by Bareilly police under the Epidemic Act and for violating the poll code for distributing blankets and food packets in January. The FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by SP leader Shahzil Islam.
Former state minister Uma Kiran, who was expelled from the SP last month and got a ticket from the Azad Samaj Party, was reportedly booked on 2 February for violating the poll code and Covid norms by taking out a procession in a UP village without permission. The EC had put a ban on physical rallies and processions in the five poll-bound states in the wake of surging Covid cases.
BJP MLA from Chail Sanjay Kumar Gupta was booked in January for violating Covid guidelines and the MCC by organising a programme to distribute scooties to 40 girls on 16 January.
SP MLA from Asmoli Pinki Yadav was booked in the same month for addressing a crowd of 50-60 people in a village with no masks or social distancing.
The most recent poll code violation case in UP was lodged against Kanpur Mayor Pramila Pandey as she clicked pictures and videos inside the polling booth while casting her vote Sunday.
“An FIR is being lodged against Mrs Pramila Pandey under relevant sections for breach of secrecy of voting at Hudson School polling station,” the Kanpur district magistrate posted on Twitter.
कानपुर में श्रीमती प्रमिला पांडे द्वारा हडसन स्कूल मतदान केंद्र में मतदान की गोपनीयता भंग करने के फल स्वरुप उनके विरुद्ध सुसंगत धाराओं में FIR कराई जा रही है। @ECISVEEP @ceoup @kanpurnagarpol
— DM Kanpur Nagar (@DMKanpur) February 20, 2022
The third phase of the seven-phase elections in UP was held Sunday.
Punjab
On Saturday, the Akali Dal had complained to the EC that Arvind Kejriwal had made “false and frivolous allegations against other parties” through a video campaign. In a letter to EC, SAD vice-president Arshdeep Singh had written that the AAP had released a video in which it was “maliciously disseminating a message against other parties on the basis of unsubstantiated, false and frivolous claims”.
Singh allegedly claimed that in the video, leaders of other parties such as Charanjit Singh Channi and Captain Amarinder Singh are being called “Punjab ke Gaddar”.
Meanwhile, the AAP had also lodged a complaint against SAD chief Sukhbir Badal for circulating a video which “consisted of his vote appeal with an intent to misguide voters” after the campaigning period had ended.
On Saturday, a day before voting in the state, Punjab’s chief electoral officer ordered the registration of two FIRs in Mohali on both complaints for alleged poll code violation. Mohali police registered a case against Kejriwal in connection with the video.
In January, the EC had also issued a notice against Kejriwal and AAP’s CM face Bhagwant Mann over an alleged MCC violation as more than five party leaders were reportedly spotted conducting a door-to-door campaign in Mohali.
Punjab CM Channi and his party’s candidate from Mansa Sidhu Moosewala were also booked for allegedly violating the poll code last Friday for carrying out door-to-door campaigning after the 6 pm deadline for campaigning.
Complaints in Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand too
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) filed a complaint with the EC in Goa — which voted on 14 February — against Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi for alleged violation of the MCC during a door-to-door campaign on 7 February.
In Uttarakhand, which voted in a single phase on 14 February, the CEO had said that 150 FIRs had been registered under various sections for poll code violations since 8 January.
Meanwhile, in Manipur, which will vote in two phases on 28 February and 5 March, the Congress claimed that the BJP-led state government had violated the MCC by issuing several policy orders.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also Read: What Guru Ravidas’ legacy means in Punjab elections, and why politicians are vying to claim it