Election Commission of India advisory on 'surrogate' model code violations ahead of polls

The Election Commission of India on Friday highlighted “indirect/ surrogate” violations of the Model Code of Conduct, in its customary advisory to political parties and candidates ahead of the general election.

These violations include “state government(s) publishing their welfare schemes in the neighbouring poll-going states” and “luring registration for delivery of promises under non-existent schemes which is often akin to bribery of voters through false promises”.

While these are not new offences, the advisory reflects the poll panel’s recent actions and chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar’s use of persuasion to “arrest the plummeting political discourse”, an EC source said.

The list of surrogate violations includes:

• False, unquantifiable, unsubstantiated, incorrect, and unverified allegations,
• Slangs conveying divine censure/personal vilification,
  
• Use of vilifying and demeaning social media posts/ caricature crossing fine line of satire
  
• Presenting social media posts out of context, often to spread misinformation or disinformation.
  
• Misleading advertisements in garb of news items potent with disturbing level playing field just before days of voting.
  
• Personal attack on political rivals and ridiculing the candidates of rival parties, and
  
• Use the name of the candidate to make generalised comments against a group of voters.