DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a directive to all national and state political parties regarding the ongoing general elections 2024, urging them to immediately halt any activities involving the registration of individuals for post-election beneficiary-oriented schemes through advertisements, surveys, or apps.
According to the Commission, encouraging individual voters to register for post-election benefits could create the perception of a transactional relationship between the voter and the promised benefit. This, in turn, may lead to inducement and compromise the integrity of the electoral process. It amounts to a corrupt practice of bribery under Section 123(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
While the Commission acknowledg that making generic and general electoral promises are permissibile, it expressed concern that such activities blur the line between genuine surveys and biased attempts to enroll people in programs for political gain. Such efforts may appear as legitimate survey activities or informal campaigns about government programmess or party agendas related to potential individual benefits.
The Commission has directed all District Election Officers to take appropriate actions against any such advertisements within the statutory provisions, namely Section 127A of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951, 123 (1) of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951, and Section 171 (B) IPC.
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