SRINAGAR District Election Officer Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Monday instructed the concerned departments and executing agencies to strictly adhere to Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines with regard to execution of developmental works.
The DEO was speaking in a meeting convened to discuss the execution of works during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) which came into effect with the announcement of dates for General Elections 2019 yesterday.
Dr Shahid impressed upon the concerned that only those works which have already been started can be undertaken during the model code of conduct.
He stressed that all other works including those which have been approved or tendered or acquired material for but have not been started on the ground need authorisation for execution.
The concerned departments were also told that any mega or vital developmental projects that might be due to be taken up in the district in the next two to three months during the elections period will have to be brought up with a special committee constituted under the headship of the Chief Secretary which will then seek approval for their execution from the ECI.
The departments were asked to ensure strict adherence to guidelines concerning the subject throughout the period of the MCC which ends two days after the election results are declared.
ADC KK Sidha and JD Planning Yaseen Lone and senior officers from concerned departments and agencies attended the meeting.
Committee to keep check on paid news
The Srinagar District Election Office Monday constituted a Media Certification & Monitoring Committee (MCMC) to keep a check on cases of paid news in the district a day after the Election Commission of India announced schedule for General Elections 2019.
The constitution of MCMC at district level is mandated under election rules once a schedule for elections is announced.
The committee will scrutinise print and electronic media to identify political advertisements in the garb of news in the media. It will also certify advertisements in the electronic media in the district.
District Election Officer Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary will head the committee whose other members will include Sub Divisional Magistrate West Hamida Akhter, Deputy Director M&C Press Information Bureau Ghulam Abass and Assistant Director Information Mohammad Aslam.
One of the members of the committee will be a social media expert as per the modified guidelines of ECI instructing for inclusion thereof in view of increasing concern about the emerging role of social media in the spread of information.
The Information department has been asked to nominate an accredited journalist who will be that intermediary expert member.
Social media advertisements of candidates will come under the model code and go through the same pre-certification process followed for advertisements in print and electronic media.
Candidates who might find the decisions of the committee unacceptable could appeal to the State-level body within 48 hours. The candidates could also approach the Election Commission against the decision of the State-level body and the decision of the EC would be final in this regard.
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