COMPENDIUM OF INSTRUCTIONS


MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT

Payment from the discretionary Grants by Ministers on the eve of general elections .

------------------------------------------------------No. 50/3/68-Poll III
---------------------------------------------Government of India/Bharat Sarkar
---------------------------------------------Ministry of Home Affairs/Grih Mantralaya
---------------------------------------------New Delhi, Dt. the 29th October, 1969.

To

The Chief Secretary,

(All States & Union Territories)

Sub:- Supreme Courts observation - Payments from the Discretionary Grants at the disposal of the Ministers on the eve of elections setting up of a convention.

I am directed to invite a reference to the Election Commission's Circular letter No. 82/HN/24/67, dated: June 25, 1968 addressed to all the Ministries of the Government of India and Chief Secretaries to the State Governments regarding payments of Ministers from their discretionary grants on the eve of elections. After a careful consideration of the Commission's suggestion, the Government of India have, decided that instead of making a provision in the rules regulating the disbursements from the Discretionary Grants, a convention should be adopted that for a period of three months immediately prior to a polling in a general election mid-term election or bye-election in any constituency no expenditure should ordinarily be incurred from a Ministries Discretionary Grant. A copy of this Ministry's letter No. 50/3/68-Poll. III, dated 28-10-1969 addressed to all the Secretaries to the Government of India is enclosed. The State Governments/Union Territories may wish to adopt a similar convention.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Yours faithfully,
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sd/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Deputy Secretary to the
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Government of India

--------------------------------------------------D.O. No. 50/3/68-Poll. III
------------------------------------------Government of India/Bharat Sarkar
------------------------------------------Ministry of Home Affairs/Grih Mantralya

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------New Delhi,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dated: the 28th October, 1969

Secretary

My dear........................

Please refer to Election Commission's Circular letter No. 82/HN/24/67, dated: June 25, 1968 (Copy enclosed) addressed to all Ministries of the Government of India & Chief Secretaries to State Governments regarding payments by Ministers from their Discretionary Grants on the eve of elections. The Commission's suggestion that payments out of the discretionary grants on the eve of a countrywide general election, a mid-term general election or a bye-election should be avoided has been carefully considered, and Government agree with this suggestion. However, we consider that instead of making any specific provisions in the rules regulating disbursements from the Discretionary Grants, a convention should be evolved that for a period of three months immediately prior to the polling in a general election, mid-term election or bye-election in any constituency no expenditure should ordinarily be incurred from a Minister's discretionary grant except in a case where it becomes absolutely necessary on compassionate grounds.

2. It is requested that this convention may be strictly observed in respect of the discretionary grants at the disposals of the Ministers. I shall be grateful if you put up this matter for the information of your ministers.

3. This issues with the approval of the Prime Minister.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Your Sincerely,
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sa-L.P. SINGH
To,
All Secretaries to the Government of India.



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