'Set up fast track courts to punish poll violators'

Concerned over the rising cases of violation of model code of conduct, the Delhi election office is likely to demand fast track courts to deal with such cases ahead of the parliamentary polls.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi Vijay Dev had called a meeting of the representative of all the political parties in Delhi on Thursday and told them to follow the Model Code of Conduct. He said he will approach to the Union Law Ministry seeking setting up of fast track courts for cases to dispose of all such cases.

“Anyone who violates Model Code of Conduct will not be spared and if they feel they will get away, it will not happen again,” Deb said.

A senior officer said the Delhi Electoral Office will ask the police to file a chargesheet against the accused leaders within a time frame.

“We will seek help of senior police officials to deal with such cases. A large number of cases were registered during last Assembly elections. The commission will request law ministry to set up a fast track to deal with these as case on day-to-day basis,” he said.
FIRs against parties

About 346 cases FIRs were registered against the various political parties during last Assembly elections, Dev said.

With 150 FIRs against it, the newly former Aam Adami Party (AAP) had surfaced as the biggest defaulter in last Assembly elections. Eighty eight FIRs were filed against Congress party, 86 against BJP, 27 against BSP and rest of the FIRs were filed against minor parties and Independent candidates.

The Delhi Electoral Office will register FIRs against political parties if they violate the Model Code of Conduct without any warning as the guideline books have been circulated to all the parties.

“We had issued 413 warning notices in last Assembly elections against the political parties. Most of them were for illegally organising public meetings,” said a senior official.