EC restricts outsiders in constituencies after campaign period

Chandigarh, Feb 9 (UNI) No political functionary, party worker or election campaign manager will remain in a constituency where he or she is not a voter, after campaigning comes to end at 1700 hrs on Sunday for 115 assembly segments and the Amritsar Parliamentary seat.

These instructions were issued to all district election administration in Punjab today.

The Commission has directed the district election administration to ensure that all such functionaries leave the constituency immediatley after the closure of campaign period as their continued presence may undermine the atmosphere of free and fair polls.

The Commission has further directed the Administration to ensure checking of community halls, where such people were housed and find out whether the outsiders have been accommodated on these premises, verification of lodges and guesthouses to keep a track of the list of occupants, set up check-posts in the constituency borders and track the vehicular movement from outside the constituency and verify the identities of the people or group of people in order to find out whether they are voters or not and establish their identities.

The EC has also issued instructions regarding preventive measures near polling booths and setting up of election booths by the candidates or political parties.

According to these instructions, no booth should be set up within a distance of 200 m from the polling station and such booth should not be enclosed by kanats or tentage and others. These booths, as per the instructions, should be used only for the sole purpose of issuing unofficial identity slips to the electors.

The Commission has warned all concerned that any violation of the above directions would be viewed by the Commission with the utmost gravity and most stringent action possible under the law, including but not restricted to the removal of such booths, forthwith would be taken against the candidates and or their agents or workers responsible for any such violation.

UNI