Compliance with Section 123 of R P Act, 1951 Must
May 3 (Punjab Khabarnama) : District Election Officer Mrs Aashika Jain has asked all the Assistant Returning Officers of the District Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar to keep a thorough watch on the meetings based on Caste, Religion or Language.
Referring to the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, issued on the subject, The District Election Officer has asked all three AROs to get them videographed such meetings and if there is some evidence found that ‘Caste’ is being used for political/electoral purposes, then action may be taken under suitable provisions of Law/Model Code of Conduct under intimation to the commission.
She further said that permission to such gatherings should only be given when the concerned ARO is fully satisfied with that section 123 of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 is strictly complied with.
The District Electoral Officer has also appealed to the political parties to strictly comply with the guidelines of the Election Commission of India on the use of caste, religion or language.
Section 123 of R P Act, 1951 prohibits the appeal by a candidate or his agent or by any other person with the consent of a candidate or his election agent to vote or refrain from voting for any person on the grounds of his religion, race, caste, community or language or the use of, or appeal to religious symbols or the use of, or appeal to, national symbols, such as the national flag or the national emblem, for the furtherance of the prospects of the election of that candidate or for prejudicially affecting the election of any candidate.
