Election Model Code of Conduct : Govt. Scheme and Welfare Programmes
Date : 14th January 2017
No.4/56/ELEC/PR/SAE-2017: The Election commission of India (ECl) vide
press Notes No.ECltPNlll2olT & No. ECI/PN/2/2017 dated 0410112017has
announced 2(two) phases of Poll Schedule for the General Elections to the 11th
Manipur Legislative Assembly and with the announcement of Election schedule
by the Election Commission, the Model Code of Conduct came into effect w.e.f.
4in January,2017 and applies to the whole of Manipur State and applicable to
all candidates, political parties, the State and Union Government as far as
Manipur State is concerned'
A. On Govt. Scheme and Welfare Programmes:
1. The following types of existing works can be continued by the
government agencies without reference to the Election Commission after the
Model Code of Conduct comes into force:
a. Work-projects that have actually started on the ground after obtaining
all necessary sanctions;
b. Beneficiary-projects where specific beneficiaries by name have been
identified before coming of the Model Code of Conduct into force;
c. Registered beneficiaries of NREGA may be covered under existing
projects. New projects under NREGA that may be mandated under the
provisions of the Act may be taken up only if it is for the already registered
beneficiaries and the project is already listed in the approved and sanctioned
shelf of projects for which funds are also already earmarked
2. There shall be no bar to release of funds for the completed portion of any
work subject to observance of laid down procedures and concurrence of finance
department.
3. The following type of new works (whether beneficiary or work oriented)
that fulfill all the following conditions before Model Code of Conduct comes into
effect, can be taken up under intimation to the commission.
a. Full funding has been tied up. b. Administrative, technical and financial
sanctions have been obtained c. Tender has been floated, evaluated and
awarded and
d. There is contractual obligation to start and end the work within a given
time frame and failing which there is an obligation to impose penalty on the
contractor
e. In case of any of the above conditions not being met in such cases
prior approval of the Commission shall be sought and obtained.
4. Global tenders already floated, can be evaluated and finalized where any
time limits are specified for such purpose'
5. Tenders other than global tenders, that are already floated may be
evaluated but not finalized without prior approval of the Commission. lf they are
not already floated, they shall not be floated without prior approval of the
Commission.
6. Commission invariably takes a humanitarian view on the work that are
necessitated due to man-made or natural calamities'
a. Ex-gratia payments and gratuitous relief in the aftermath of a disaster
can be given directly to the persons affected at the current rates/scales of
assistance presently in force, under intimation to the Commission. No change in
the extant and prescribed scales of payments, however, shall be made in the
existing rates/scales without prior permission of the Commission'
b. Payment directly to the hospitals from CM's/PM's Relief Fund, in lieu
of direct cash payment to individual patients (beneficiaries) will be permissible
without reference to the Commission.
c. Emergent relief works and measures that are aimed to mitigate the
hardships, directly and solely, of the persons affected in a disaster may be
taken up under intimation to the Commission.
d. However, new works that may be necessitated by way of preventive
measures to mitigate the likely effects of natural disasters like repair of
embankments, water channels etc, can be taken up only with prior permission
of the Commission.
e. Also. an area shall not be declared droughVflood affected or any such
calamity affected without prior approval of the Commission. The extent of area
already declared to be calamity-effected cannot be expanded without prior
approval of the Commission.
f. Similarly, any selective assistance to a group of persons from the PM's
or the CM's Relief Fund will require prior approval of the Commission'
7. The following type of activities will require prior permission of the
Commission:
a. New works and project cannot be taken up from discretionary funds of
whatever nature. Discretionary fund, in this context, includes funds, which are
provided for in the budget in a generic manner and for which no identified and
sanctioned project exists prior to Model Code of Conduct coming into effect.
b. Proposals for revival of sick PSUs, governmental take over of
enterprises etc. (or any policy decision on similar lines) cannot be taken up'
c. Fresh auctions of liquor vends etc. cannot be held even if the annual
auction time falls within the Model Code of Conduct period. Where necessary,
the government should make interim arrangements as provided in their
respective laws.
d. Area of operation of any existing project/schemeiprogramme can not
be extended or exPanded.
e. No land allocation shall be made by the government to any entity,
whether individual or an enterprise'
f. Signing a MOU or an agreement where the government is a party will
also require prior clearance by the Commission.
B. Regular recruitmentiappointment or promotion through the UPSC, State
public Service Commissions or the Staff Selection Commission or any other
statutory authority can continue. Recruitments through non-statutory bodies, will
require prior clearance of the Commission'
9. While starting any work (including any relief work) or developmental activity
no formal function shall be held involving any politicalfunctionary.As a matter of
good practice, normal functions and publicity even with the presence of official
functionaries should be kept to the minimum.
10. Where works are to be undertaken orfunctions are to be held in fulfillment
of international commitments, prior concurrence of the Commission shall be
taken.
11. All Government of India references to the Election Commission of India shall
be made preferably through the Cabinet Secretariat. ln so far as reference from
State Governments is concerned, the same shall be made to the Election
Commission of India through the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state
concerned.
B. Samadhan: lt is a Public Grievance Redressal System used in connection
with Revision of Electoral Rolls and conduct of Elections. Every complain
received both online or offline, is capture in this application software. Since its
use in the state last month, 361 complaints have been registered out of which
336 have been disposed of and 25 are pending .
(Vivek Kumar Dewangan)
Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur
* This Press Release was sent to e-pao.net by DIPR , Manipur who can be contacted at diprmanipur(AT)gmail(DOT)com
This Post is webcasted on January 16 2017
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