E-Paper
UP polls: DMs asked to enforce EC’s guidelines on use of video vans by parties
We have issued orders to all DMs asking them to ensure compliance of the Election Commission’s guidelines with regard to the use of video vans/digital video vans, said additional chief electoral officer BD Tiwari
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The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday sought to regulate the use of video vans being deployed by various political parties for campaigning for assembly polls in the state by, among other things, making it mandatory for parties to seek a prior permission for using such vehicles.
“We have issued orders to all DMs asking them to ensure compliance of the Election Commission’s guidelines with regard to the use of video vans/digital video vans,” additional chief electoral officer BD Tiwari said.
He said any political party that wanted to make state-wide use of such vans for publicity would have to take a prior permission from the chief electoral officer while permission for the use of such vehicles at district or assembly constituency level could be obtained from the concerning district election officer.
“The permission will be granted only after the transport department certifies that the vans sought to be used for campaigning are in keeping with the Motor Vehicles Act,” he said.
He further said that political parties would be allowed to use video vans to make publicity of their party and programme and for campaigning for a particular candidate. “Also, deployment of such vans will be allowed only between 8am and 8pm and the vehicles will not be used for road shows and rallies,” he clarified.
He said it would be responsibility of political parties to follow Covid-19 guidelines by ensuring that not more than 500 people gathered at the viewing point and the vans did not stay for more than half-an-hour at one place. Tiwari said there was no restriction on the number of video vans but expenses on them would be included in political parties’ poll expenses.
