Ahead of announcing the dates of assembly elections, the Election Commission of India on Wednesday asked to the five poll-bound states to brace up for the elections.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, the EC has asked for strict adherence to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) that would come into force immediately after the announcement of polls.
The poll panel has directed the states to ensure "strict compliance" of its instructions and to take "time bound action" in case of violation.
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It has instructed against the defacement of property (both public and private), misuse of official vehicles, advertisement at the cost of public exchequer and use of photographs of political functionaries on official websites, among other things.
Besides, the EC has asked the states to set up a round the clock complaint redressal mechanism based on website and call centre which "should become operational within 24 hours of the announcement…with sufficient deployment of manpower and other logistics".
The toll free number of such call centres would be 1950.
The terms of the legislative assemblies of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur are ending in mid-March next year, while the Uttar Pradesh assembly's term would expire in May next year.
As per the law, elections to the legislative assembly of a state must be held – and new assembly formed — well before its term expires.
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