By IANS
Bangalore : The Election Commission Saturday appealed to political parties in Karnataka to ensure an eco-friendly campaign by not using plastic material and to minimise poll expenditure.
“During our meetings with political parties Friday, we have told them to desist from using plastic material in any form for electioneering. We hope they will abide by our advice,” Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswamy said here Saturday.
The poll panel was here Saturday to draft fresh guidelines for free and fair conduct of the three-phased May 10-22 polls to the 224-member legislative house.
To ensure that all political parties observe the model code of conduct strictly, the poll panel has decided to empower poll observers and officials concerned to monitor their movements, check the campaign material and bring to its notice any violation.
It has decided to invoke the provisions of the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1981, to ban political parties from putting up banners, buntings and cutouts of candidates in public places.
“As part of campaigning, political parties will be allowed to put up posters, banners and buntings only at venues where public meetings will be held. They should, however, remove the publicity material within an hour after such meetings conclude,” Gopalaswamy said, giving a preview of the proposed guidelines.