Poll panel bans advertisements on achievements at Government cost

March 10, 2009: The Hindu

BANGALORE: The Election Commission of India on Monday directed the B.S. Yeddyurappa Government to refrain from publishing advertisements in newspapers with reference to the achievements of the Government.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) M.N. Vidyashankar told presspersons here on Monday that the Government could not issue advertisements in newspapers using money from the State exchequer. Such an action was tantamount to a clear violation of the model code of conduct, he said. However, political parties could issue advertisements at their cost, which in turn must be accounted to the Election Commission. The commission had removed hoardings put up in several parts of Bangalore extolling various government schemes, he said.

The Election Commission also cracked the whip on Home Minister V.S. Acharya. The CEO said the Minister’s blog on the official website of the Home Department had been removed following a complaint. The Minister is not allowed to express his Ministry’s achievements or his personal views on the official website of the government. Director-General and Inspector-General of Police Ajai Kumar Singh told the CEO that the Home Minister’s blog, which had conveyed his opinion on various sensitive issues, had been deleted.

Liquor seized

Following last week’s announcement of a reward for informers on illegal storage of liquor, the CEO said the police and Excise officials had seized illegally stored liquor worth Rs. 3 lakh in several parts of the State. Illegally stored liquor worth Rs. 1.35 lakh had been seized in Chikkodi Police Station limits in Belgaum district; Rs. 50,000 each in Tumkur and Gadag districts; Rs. 10,200 in Bidar; Rs 10,000 in Bijapur and Raichur districts; and liquor worth Rs. 35,000 in Davangere and Kolar Gold Fields, Mr. Vidyashankar said.

The CEO said the Police and Excise officials had intensified raids to check illegal transportation and distribution of liquor. The CEO’s office had received information from the Intelligence Department about the hoarding of huge quantities of saris by political leaders for distribution to voters in Bangalore Urban and Rural districts during the election campaign. “We are keeping an eye on such hoardings,¶ he said.

The CEO said his officials are reviewing all transfers, particularly in the police, effected by the State Government after the announcement of the election schedule. Stating that he was unhappy with the coverage of Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), Mr. Vidyashankar said a campaign had been launched to increase the percentage of coverage from 71 to 85 per cent of voters before the Lok Sabha elections.

The CEO said his office would hold meetings with senior Excise and Commercial Tax officials on Wednesday to step up measures to check illegal movement of liquor and distribution of electronic goods to voters