EC warns Jharkhand BJP, Congress MLA and SAIL Bokaro

Ranchi, May 24: The Election Commission has warned Jharkhand BJP, Congress MLA Irfan Ansari and Bokaro’s Steel Authority of India (SAIL) for violation of the Model Code of Conduct and has directed them to follow the rules in letter and spirit.

Following the instructions of Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar, the Bokaro Steel Plant management has revised its order and announced to give paid leave to its employees on May 25.

Along with this, the workers who go to vote in shifts will also get one day leave within two months.

BJP is accused of distributing more than 400 voter slips with slogans, photos, election symbols etc. instead of standard voter slips at polling stations during the fourth and fifth phase of voting in Jharkhand.

An FIR has also been registered regarding this.

K Ravi Kumar has informed through a letter to BJP’s state convener (legal cell) Sudhir Srivastava that as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, voters have to give unauthorized identity cards on plain paper and there should not be any symbol of any particular party, name of the candidate or name of the party.

Congress MLA Irfan Ansari’s post on social media handle Instructions have been given to follow the guidelines of the Election Commission of India in letter and spirit. It has been said in the guidelines that no party or candidate should indulge in any such activity which may spread hatred among themselves or create an atmosphere of tension between different castes and sects.

Also, people have been asked to avoid unconfirmed allegations and criticism.

It has been clarified in the guidelines that use of temples, mosques, churches and other religious places for election propaganda will be considered a violation of the model code of conduct.

Steel Authority of India (Bokaro) had refused to give paid leave to the employees working at its Bokaro Steel Plant for voting in the sixth phase elections, despite the guidelines of the Election Commission.

The date of voting scheduled in the Lok Sabha constituencies of Jharkhand for the Lok Sabha General Election 2024 has been declared a public holiday under the section of Negotiable Instruments Act 1881.