DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 3 (MExN): The Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland, V Shashank Shekhar IAS today informed that if any political parties are setting up candidates with criminal cases, they will have to follow the guidelines and instructions of ECI.
According to the ECI, it is mandatory for political parties to upload on their website details information regarding individuals with pending criminal cases (including the nature of the offences, and relevant particulars such as whether charges have been framed, the concerned court, the case number etc) who have been selected as candidates, along with reasons for such selection, as also as to why other individuals without criminal antecedents could not be selected as candidates.
The reasons as to selection shall be with reference to the qualifications, achievements and merit of the candidate concerned, and not mere “winnability” at the polls, the CEO informed.
The Commission has also directed political parties that this information needs to be published in one local vernacular newspaper and one national newspaper and on the official social media platforms of the political party, including Facebook & Twitter.
These details will have to be published within 48 hours of the selection of the candidate and not prior to two weeks before the first date of filing of nominations. The political party concerned will then have to submit a report of compliance with these directions with the Election Commission within 72 hours of the selection of the said candidate.
If a political party fails to submit such compliance report with the Election Commission, the Election Commission shall bring such non-compliance by the political party concerned to the notice of the Supreme Court as being in contempt of the court’s orders.
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