Adhere to poll code, parties told

Patiala, January 12

District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Hans, at a meeting with representatives of political parties, advised them to comply with the model code of conduct imposed by the Election Commission of India.

He said the administration would provide all possible support to them during the election and advised them to perform their activities within the established norms while following Covid-19 restrictions.

“For assembly elections, the revised poll expenditure limit for candidates is Rs 40 lakh. Therefore, all candidates should follow the rules as the expenditure incurred by them will be under scrutiny”, he said.

He said the Election Commission of India had barred physical rallies and roadshows till January 15, restricting the number of persons allowed for door-to-door campaigns for five.

He said teams of the district administration were working round-the-clock and the police as well as the Excise Department were alert and cautious. “No one should indulge in any illegal activity, including distribution of drugs and intoxicants”, he said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-Additional District Election Officer Gurpreet Singh Thind assured free and fair polls if the political parties cooperate with them.

District rural Congress president Gurdeep Singh Untsar and office in-charge Mahinder Singh; Akash Sharma and Sukhbir Singh of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Bahujan Samaj Party; Sukhdev Singh from AAP; Jaswinder Singh Chhabra of the NCP, Shama Kant Pandey of the Shiv Sena, Ravinder Singla of Shiv Sena (Hindustan), were present at the meeting.