Key Prohibitions and Guidelines
The SEC has placed firm restrictions on divisive and unverified campaigning:
No Hate Speech: Parties are prohibited from engaging in any activity that promotes conflict, hatred, or division based on religion, race, caste, community, or language.
Respect for Private Life: Candidates must refrain from criticizing the private lives of leaders or workers of rival parties if those aspects are unrelated to public activity. Making baseless or distorted allegations is strictly forbidden.
Religion and Votes: Appeals for votes cannot be made in the name of caste or community. Furthermore, places of worship and religious institutions are prohibited from being used as venues for election campaigning.
Threats and Intimidation: Any threats, including social boycott or caste excommunication, against any candidate or voter are strictly disallowed.
Demonstrations: Organizing demonstrations or picketing in front of individuals’ houses to protest their opinions or activities is banned.
Use of Property and Public Space
Private Property: Banners, flagpoles, posters, or wall writings cannot be displayed on any person’s land, building, or wall without their prior written permission.
Government Property: Defacing government offices, their compounds, or surroundings with wall writings, posters, banners, or cutouts is prohibited.
Compliance Cost: The Commission has directed District Election Officers to ensure that no public space is exclusively reserved for any single party. If a party defaces property and fails to remove the material after receiving a notice, the removal cost will be added to the concerned candidate’s election expenditure.
Educational Institutions: School and college grounds cannot be used for political rallies or propaganda related to the election.
Rules for Rallies and Printed Material
Public Meetings: Parties must notify the local police authorities in advance regarding the venue and timing of all public meetings. They must ensure compliance with all existing legal orders and traffic regulations.
Loudspeakers: Prior permission must be obtained from competent authorities for the use of loudspeakers.
Printed Material: All pamphlets and posters must clearly display the name, address, and number of copies printed for the printer and the publisher. The printer must also submit a declaration form identifying the publisher to the District Election Officer.
Media Advertisements: Advertisements placed across all media, including print, television, radio, and social media, must be lawful and should not involve defamatory campaigns. (Keralanews.gov)
For more details: Navamalayalam.com
