Election squads in Kozhikode bring venues of celebrations under scanner

As part of the stringent enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the election authorities have intensified surveillance of wedding halls, community centres, and other venues of celebrations to prevent electoral malpractices.

According to officials, booking of such venues during the election season will be closely monitored to ensure that they are not misused for campaigning or influencing voters under the guise of private functions. Those who book such venues for private events have been asked to maintain documentary evidence, such as wedding invitations or event notices, clearly stating the purpose of the function.

Moreover, the field-level squads appointed by the Election Commission have put in place a system to collect daily reports of hall bookings. These reports will be scrutinised to detect any attempt to organise fictitious events aimed at distributing suspected inducements to voters.

The election authorities have urged the public and stakeholders to report any suspicious bookings or activities to the respective Returning Officers without delay. For the confidential reporting process, cVIGIL, an app developed by the Election Commission is also available for the public, ensuring legal action in just two hours.

Special attention is being given to large-scale food distribution programmes conducted outside places of worship in the name of ‘annadaanam’ or charity. Officials note that such events will be examined to ascertain whether they are being used as a means to influence voters.

The authorities warn that the surveillance squads on the field have been asked to invoke section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and other applicable sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, on noticing any attempts to woo voters using illegal enticements. These are part of the standard legal procedures to ensure a fair election, they say.