The
Election Commission of India(ECI) has censured the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu
for violating the provisions of the Model Code during the assembly
polls, saying its manifesto gave no rationale to meet the financial
requirement for fulfilling promises such as free distribution of washing
machines.
"... The Commission...censures your party and also
advises you and your party to be more circumspect and adhere to the
provisions of Model Code of Conduct, particularly Para VIII of the
Guidelines relating to Manifestos, in future," the EC order of August 23,2016
addressed to party supremo J Jayalalithaa said.
Though the show cause was issued in May 2016, the order came after three months.
In
a separate order, the Commission also asked Opposition DMK to be "more
circumspect" and adhere to the provisions of Model Code of Conduct,
particularly those relating to manifestos.
On May 14, 2016 the poll
watchdog had issued show cause notices to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
Jayalalithaa and DMK president M Karunanidhi for violating model code,
saying their election manifestos do not "substantially" fulfil its
guidelines.
The Commission had said the two parties had not
complied to its guidelines on manifestos. It had asked them to reflect
the rationale for the promises made in their manifestos and broadly
indicate the ways and means to meet the financial requirement for the
same.
EC said it went through the reply to AIADMK to the show cause notice and found it "unsatisfactory".
"...
It has been observed that no rationale or/and detail on the ways and
means to meet the financial requirement for fulfilling such promises has
been given in the manifesto for certain promises, like, waiver of all
farm loans due to co-operative banks, free distribution of washing
machine, steam boiler, idli cooker for Adi-dravidar and tribal welfare
hostels, gift coupons of Rs 500 for all ration card holders to purchase
handloom textiles from co-optex at a cost of Rs 500 during Pongal
festival...," the order said.
In its order on DMK, addressed to
Karunanidhi, the poll body said that though the rationale and ways and
means to meet the promises have now been given, the same should have
been given while issuing the manifesto.
In its show cause notice
to the two Tamil Nadu parties, the Commission had referred to the
guidelines on election manifesto for political parties and candidates.
It
had reminded the two parties of section 3, which says that "in the
interest of transparency, level-playing field and credibility of
promises, it is expected that the manifesto also reflects the rationale
for the promises and broadly indicate the ways and means to meet the
financial requirement for it.
"Trust of voters should be sought only on those promises which are possible to be fulfilled."
Parties
in Tamil Nadu are known to promise things such as colour TV, mixer
grinder, ceiling fans and free rice in their election manifestos.
