In a major relief for the state government, the Election Commission has relaxed the model code of conduct for the upcoming bypolls. It has decided to confine the code to the constituency concerned and not to the entire district. The government was worried that several development works in 12 districts of the state would be stalled due to the code of conduct.
In the latest orders on Thursday evening, the EC stated that several states had requested reconsidering the enforcement of the code of conduct in the entire district during bypolls when only a part of the district is involved in the election process. The EC, after taking into consideration all relevant factors, decided on an ‘experimental basis’ the following: “All instructions of the Commission issued regulating the implementation of schemes of rural employement guarantee programme, extending relief and starting works in case of natural calamities, drought, flood, drinking water, digging of borewells, fodder, agricultural inputs and input subsidies to farmers, new developmental work (Whether beneficiary or work oriented) including works under MPLAD, MLA, MLC LAD scheme, announcement and commencement of new projects, programme, concessions, financial grants, defacement of property, use of government property for campaign purpose etc shall now be applicable only in respect of areas falling in Assembly/Lok Sabha constituency going for by-election and not to entire district in which such constituency is situated.”