New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Tuesday issued an advisory to star campaigners of all parties contesting the Karnataka Assembly elections in the view of the “plummeting level” of the campaign and urged them not to vitiate the election atmosphere.
Political parties and candidates have been advised to exercise caution and restraint in their utterances to maintain a high standard of discourse.
The EC asked them to raise ‘issue’ based debates, and provide pan India perspective and depth to local discourse.
The Commission’s attention has recently been brought to the instances of inappropriate vocabulary and language used during the on-going campaign by persons, in particular, by those invested with the statutory status of star campaigner. Such instances have occasioned various complaints, cross complaints and have also attracted negative media attention, the poll body said.
The advisory states “It is imperative for all parties and stakeholders to remain within the confines of the Model Code of Conduct and the legal framework in their utterances while campaigning so as to maintain the dignity of the political discourse and not to vitiate the campaign and the election atmosphere. They are thus expected to contribute in maintaining and raising the level of discourse to “issue” based debate, provide pan India perspective, depth to the local discourse and to reassure all sections of electors to participate fully and fearlessly in a free and fair election.”
ECI has also said that political parties to the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and other statutory provisions hold the field and fix the framework of the expected campaign discourse.
The ECI notes that as per the MCC provisions, the use of provocative and inflammatory statements, use of intemperate and abusive language transgressing the limits of decency and attacks on the personal character and conduct of political rivals vitiate the level playing field. The spirit of the MCC is not just avoidance of a direct violation, it also prohibits attempts to vitiate the electoral space through suggestive or indirect statements or innuendoes.
(With Agency Inputs)