Lok Sabha Elections 2024: EC bars parties from collecting voters' details for post-poll beneficiary-oriented schemes

New Delhi: In what may have an impact on the distribution of its guarantee cards by the Congress during the Lok Sabha campaign, the Election Commission on Thursday barred parties from collecting details of voters for post-election beneficiary-oriented schemes, calling it a “corrupt practice”.

In letters to parties, the EC took “serious view” of the issue and said “some parties and candidates have been engaged in activities that blur the lines between legitimate surveys and partisan efforts to register individuals for post-election beneficiary-oriented schemes”.

It asked all national and state parties  to “immediately cease and desist from any activities that involve registering individuals” through advertisements, surveys or through App. BJP had earlier complained with the EC against Congress distributing guarantee cards.

Those violating the EC direction will face action under Section 123(1) of Representation of People Act, 1951 and Section 171(B) of Indian Penal Code dealing with bribery.

However, Congress sources said they will continue to distribute the guarantee cards but without the counterfoil seeking details.

“The act of inviting/calling upon individual electors to register for post-election benefits may create an create an impression of the requirement of one-to-one transactional relationship between the elector and the proposed benefit and has the potential to generate quid-pro-quo arrangement for voting in a particular way thereby leading to inducement,” the letter said.

The EC cited five instances that “obscure the distinction between legitimate surveys and biased attempts to enrol people in programmes for political gain, all while masquerading as legitimate survey activities or efforts to inform about government programs or party agendas related to potential individual benefits”.

It included newspaper advertisements seeking to register themselves for benefits by giving missed calls on a mobile or calling on a telephone number, distribution of guarantee cards giving details of schemes along with an attached form asking for details of voters,distribution of forms seeking details and seeking online registration. 

The Congress guarantee card signed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi promises 25 guarantees under five 'nyays' for social representation, farmers, youth, women, women and workers. The party collects details of voters in the attached counterfoil, which they will keep. 

Congress sources said they will continue to distribute the guarantee cards but without the counterfoil seeking details.