VISITS OF MINISTERS AND MISUSE OF OFFICIAL VEHICLES/MACHINERY

General Elections/Bye-elections _ Restrictions on misuse of vehicles.

(c) Vehicles used for essential services namely hospital vans, ambulance, milk vans, water tankers, electricity emergency duty vans, police on duty, officers on election duty;

(d) Public transport carriages like buses plying between fixed termini and on fixed routes;

(e) Taxis, three wheeler scooters, rickshaws etc. for going to airports, railway stations, inter-state bus stands, hospitals for journeys which cannot be avoided;

(f) Private vehicles used by sick or disabled persons for their own use.

9. In addition, it has been experienced that during the period of electioneering private vehicles are used by the candidates, their agents and party leaders and supporters for carting the supporters of a candidate within the constituency and on many occasions anti-social elements with muscle power are openly paraded to instill a sense of fear in the minds of the electorate, so that they either vote in favour of particular party/candidate or abstain from voting altogether. These vehicles are also used sometimes to smuggle illicit arms and ammunition with a view to creating disturbances during elections.

10. In order to curb such undesirable/illegal activities, the Commission further directs that the District Administration shall keep a close watch on the vehicles used by persons accompanying the contesting candidates and their party's leaders for any possible mischief, including criminal activities like carrying of illegal arms and weapons. If any of these vehicles, either of a party or a private owner, is found to be involved in any such act or for carting anti-social elements with a view to intimidating or creating terror in the mind of the electorate, it shall be the duty of the local administration to impound such vehicles and not to release them till the process of elections is completed. In addition, criminal action against the owner, the occupant(s) and the candidate/political party which is involved in such illegal activities shall also be taken as per law.

11. So as to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections, the District Administration shall launch such drive for checking the vehicles immediately upon the announcement of the elections and shall continue the drive till the completion of the process of elections.

12. All authorities concerned shall fully ensure that these directions are scrupulously followed in respect of all vehicles. Utmost care shall also be taken to ensure that no misuse of any vehicle is made in the garb of use for "bonafide" purposes or personal use.



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