Parties urge EC to hike limit on poll expenses

Political parties in the State on Friday sought an increase in the poll expenditure limit and error free electoral rolls among others at an interaction with the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Bangalore ahead of the Assembly polls.

The full bench of the ECI, led by Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and comprising Election Commissioners H S Brahma and Nasim Zaidi, held discussions and heard suggestions of seven political parties as part of its preparatory exercise for the Assembly polls.

Strong enforcement

The ruling BJP in its submission sought a strong enforcement machinery to ensure that the model code of conduct is strictly followed.

The party has also sought appropriate control on “paid news”. “This has become a havoc and proper controls are required to be placed in this regard and a code of conduct brought into effect,” the BJP said in its submission. The party has also sought that curbs on canvassing be relaxed to bring back the “festivity” during the campaigning.

Other suggestions made by the BJP include separate queue for senior citizens at polling booths and an increase in the number of star campaigners for the Assembly polls from the present 40 to 80.
 
The Congress stressed on error-free and faultless electoral rolls.  “There are innumerable instances of  deletion of names from voters’ list for want of photographs.

Since the Election Commission allows a person to vote using more than ten documents for identity, strict instructions should be given not to delete names for the want of photographs,” the Congress delegation, led by former minister B L Shankar, said in its representation.

It has accused the ruling party legislators of indulging in wooing voters by distributing sarees, food articles or sending them on mass pilgrimage.

It has also accused the State government of effecting large-scale transfer of police and revenue officials.

The Janata Dal (Secular)  sought that the ECI should monitor and rectify errors in electoral rolls.

It has alleged that in 2009, in several constituencies a large number of names, especially from the minority and dalit communities, were deleted from the voters’ list without any justification.