Kohima, February 14 (DIPR): The Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland, C.J. Ponraj has reiterated the Election Commission’s instructions on use of vehicles during the period of electioneering and on the day of polls to prevent misuse of vehicles. He has also directed all the deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and police officers to strictly enforce the orders of the commission.
In an office order issued on 13th February, the CEO stated that private vehicles can be used by the contesting candidates or agents only after registration of vehicles with the District Election Officer (DEO) or any other officer specially authorized by the DEO furnishing the details of registration and type of vehicles and the area to be covered for such campaign. All details of such registered vehicles for campaign shall be handed over to the Expenditure Observers. Any vehicle found campaigning without such registration with the DEO shall be deemed to be unauthorized campaigning by the candidate and this may attract penal provisions under IPC and be taken out from campaigning. In order to curb any misuse of campaign vehicles for smuggling illegal arms, liquor or other illegal activities, the district administration and the police shall launch special drives for checking vehicles immediately.
Such checks will continue till the completion of the process of elections. Apart from impounding of vehicles engaged as unlawful activities, criminal action against the owner, occupant and the candidate/political party which is involved in such illegal activities shall be taken as per law.
Cars/vehicles being used for electioneering purposes shall, under no circumstances, be allowed to move in convoys of more than three vehicles from the date of notification till the completion of election process in any constituency. All bigger convoys shall be broken up, even if they are carrying any minister of central or state government. This shall, however, be subject to any security instructions issued in respect of any such individual. In other words the convoy shall not in any case exceed three vehicles of any person plus the security vehicles allowed in view of the security gradation of that particular person.
No relaxation can be made to any person with regard to absolute ban on the use of government owned/funded/hired means of transport for any reason other than security. The number of vehicles to accompany the car-cade including pilots etc will be in accordance with the instructions laid down by the security authorities and these vehicles shall be prominently marked with the stickers issued by the police. The restriction on the use of official vehicle for campaigning, electioneering of election related travel will be equally applicable to the case of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly at the time of General Election to the State Assembly, the order stated.
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