Election Model Code of Conduct : Facilities for Observers
Date : 18th January 2017

No.4/56/ELEc/pR/s AE-20172 The Erection commission of India (Ecr) vide Press NotesNo.E CrtpNt1r2o17 & No. ECr/pNr2r2o17 dated o4ro1r2o17has announced 2(two) phases of poil schedure for the Generar Erections to the 11th Manipur Legisrative Assembry and with the announcement of Erection schedure by the Erection commission, the Moder code of conduct came into effect w.e.f. 4th January, 2o1T and applies to the whore of Manipur state and appricabre to ail candidates, poriticar parties, the state and UnionGovernmentasfarasManipurStateisconcerned.

A. Provision of facilities for Observers'

The Election commission of India depute observers for various elections that are conducted by the Commission. The Observers are the eyes and ears of the Commission and their functions go arong *"y in-"ssisting the commission to conduct free and fair elections. lt therefore, naturally follows that thLy have to be treated by the administration and all concerned in election ,"tateO activities wiih due regard and with proper courtesies'

2. Arrangements for boarding, lodging, transportand security of the observers shall be arranged by the District Eiection b-ffi."rr / Returning officers concerned' These arrangements will also cover the escort officers PSO driver, seCurity personnel etc'

Arrangements for the full team will nu rui" by the DEO/RO so that no time is lost on this account by the observers in making best and bptimum use of the time avairabre during the erection process. These expenses wiil be met out of contingencies for election by the Ro'

3. The commission has made every effort to provide.everything needed by the observers in terms of stationeries and other rJqrir"r"nis for discharging their duties' The R'o' will supplement with any additionut ,rppott required in this regard' However' there may be rare cases of the observers being required to meet some emergent contingent expenditure including making telephone calls, sending fax messages or using postage or for any other similar items. In such cases, the observ-er would immediately give a vo-ucher to the R'O' who wirr reimburse the amount then and there on the basis of the certificate given by the observer.This has to be charged to the contingency expenditure account of the concerned ROs'account.

4. The DEO / RO shall make arrangements for accommodation' security' transport' wireless communication and telecommJnication facilities, guide / escort and secretarial assistance to the observers for effective functioning'

5. The DEO/Ro shall provide the observers telephone and fax facilities at the circuit House or Guest House where they will be housed. Rs f"r as practicable, a|l observers ailotted to a constituency wiil be actommodated at the same prace so that they can share terephone and fax faci'lies. The Zonar secretaries in the commission shall be intimated these numbers' 6.Specific facilities will also be provided for the observers should provide a separate table for the observer(s) at each in the Counting centers. RO counting center with a STD Telephone and one fax to be jointly used with RO. lf possible the fax should have a separate line with sTD facilities. The telephone numbers are to be obtained in advance for the Observers' use and these are to be communicated to the Zonal Secretaries in the Commission.

7. Observers shall be provided with an Escort Officers who must have a clear knowledge of the area of constituency. Ros shall ensure that the Escort Officer should also be able to act as an interpreter for interaction of the Observers with the local people and officials.

g. The ROs shall provide each Observer with a folder containing the following:

(a)A Map of the Parliamentary Constituency (showing also the boundaries of the Assembly Segments;

(b)List of polling Stations as made available to the Political Parties and contesting candidates in teims of the provisions of Hand Book for the ROs;

(c)Table of contents of Electoral Roll of each Assembly segment;

iO)retep5one Numbers at a glance for the District(s), constituency;

(e)A Booklet containing the plan for managing the elections in the district(s) and such other documents as are essential;

(0Detailed plan for counting of votes of the constituency'

(Vivek Kumar Dewangan)
Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur