By IANS,
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Election Officer Umesh Sinha Tuesday asked all political parties to strictly follow the model code of conduct, with a view to ensuring free and fair state assembly elections in February 2012.
Addressing a press conference here, Sinha said: “The election commission would keep a close eye on the election expenditure of all the candidates and the political parties. In this connection the commission has decided to organise awareness camps.”
“Over 1,200 flying squads have been constituted to keep a strict vigil on the day-to-day activities of all political outfits and their nominees,” he said.
A meeting of representatives of all political parties has been convened Wednesday to apprise them in detail about the modalities of the model code of conduct, which came into force Dec 24 with the Central Election Commission announcing the poll schedule for five states of Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Goa.
According to Sinha, “the election commission has made it mandatory for all the political parties to seek prior permission of the concerned district election officer for holding political rallies.”
Keeping in mind the incidents of the last general elections in the state, the election commission has prepared a list of sensitive areas and districts for ensuring peaceful conduct of polls, he added.
The commission has decided to also rope in National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers, who would be imparted special training to facilitate the smooth electoral process.