Image: PTI
Even though the dates are yet to be announced for the elections to the three municipal bodies in Delhi, the political buzz has begun in the city. Posters of party members hoping for a ticket have started becoming visible in various localities. Most are extending greetings and ensuring that their faces are visible alongside that of their party leaders. That the elections will be held soon is apparent as the State Election Commission (SEC) also released guidelines for the upcoming municipal elections. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) 2022, has mandated that candidates will have to abide strictly by Covid protocols this election season.
However, the SEC is yet to announce the schedule for the elections to the three municipal bodies, and the MCC will come into force only after that. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power in all three municipal corporations of Delhi which were divided according to zones in 2012, after the trifurcation of the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Since then the South Delhi and North Delhi Municipal Corporations have 104 wards and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation has 64 wards. The elections are expected to be held in April.
Meanwhile the guidelines state that each candidate has to stick to an expenditure limit of Rs 8 lakh. “No rallies and public meetings” will be allowed between 8 P.M and 8 A.M on any campaign day. There is a limit set for door-to-door campaigns stating that “a maximum of five persons including candidates, excluding security personnel, if any, shall be allowed” The guidelines also say, “Rallies and meetings shall be allowed only in earmarked places and with prior permissions of district administration… Nukkad Sabhas (meeting) will not be allowed on public roads, roundabouts or public streets or corners. Further, political parties and candidates are advised to conduct their campaign as much as possible through digital/virtual/media platforms/mobile-based mode instead of physical mode ensuring strict compliance of Covid safety norms.”
The guidelines which have also put a ‘formation’ rule for campaign vehicles, says, “Convoy of vehicles shall be broken after every 5 (five) vehicles and interval between two sets of convoys of vehicles should be half an hour instead of a gap of 100 metres. During the permitted campaign period, convoy of vehicles will be allowed only for movement of vehicles from one point to another point for campaigning.”
Only 10 “star campaigners” are allowed for recognized national/state political parties and 5 for unrecognised political parties. Permissions for “campaign by star campaigners may be given at least 48 hours before the start of campaign to make all necessary safety arrangements.”
Even post conting, no victory procession will be allowed, according to news reports, “Not more than two persons shall be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his/her authorised representative to receive the certificate of election from the Returning Officer”.
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