E-Paper
MC polls on May 10: Haryana govt officials warned against participation in campaign activities
HSEC spokesperson said that no government employee will provide any form of assistance, support or participation in favour of any candidate and that government employees will not attend private functions during election campaigning if attended by any minister
The Haryana State Election Commission (HSEC) on Friday said that it has been informed of government officials participating in political activities and supporting candidates ahead of the three municipal corporation (MC) elections scheduled for May 10.
The HSEC spokesperson said that the issue was raised during a meeting held with political parties on Wednesday. “The commission was informed that in certain areas, government officials were participating in political activities and supporting candidates. Such actions are a violation of Rule 9 of the Haryana Civil Services (Government Employees Conduct) Rules, 2016, and are also against the model code of conduct,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that no government employee will provide any form of assistance, support or participation in favour of any candidate and that government employees will not attend private functions during election campaigning if attended by any minister.
The HSEC has requested the Haryana chief secretary to issue necessary directions to all departments, boards, and corporations to ensure strict compliance with these provisions. “Any government employee found involved in political activities will face strict disciplinary action as per rules,” the HSEC said.
The commission has also introduced a single window system for the issuance of ‘no dues certificates’. Under this system, candidates will no longer be required to approach multiple departments as all relevant information regarding dues will be available on a unified digital platform.
As per existing election laws, a candidate having outstanding dues towards the government or local bodies is liable to be disqualified from contesting elections. The spokesperson said that deliberate delay by officers in issuing ‘no dues certificates’ will be treated as a violation of election directions, and strict disciplinary action will be taken against the concerned officer.
