Virtual Bangladesh : Politics: Elections : Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct or Elections 1996

May 05, 1996 The Election Commission (EC) yesterday announced a code of conduct for the contending political parties and candidates in the coming parliamentary elections, reports BSS (Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha).

Following is the code of conduct as published in a gazette notification:

Ban on Donation or Subscription:

The political parties may announce their overall development planning. But from the date of announcement of the election schedule until the polling is completed, the contending parties and candidates may not donate or commit to donate any sum of money, p ublicly or secretly, to any institution of their respective constituencies. During that period they may not commit to adopt any development project in their respective areas.

Use of Dak Bungalows and Rest Houses:

All parties and candidates will enjoy equal rights in using government rest houses, circuit houses or dak bungalows on the basis of their application and in accordance with the existing principles in this regard. But officials engaged in election duties w ill get priority in using the facilities of rest houses, circuit houses or dak bungalows.

Election Campaign:

(1) All political parties and candidates will enjoy equal rights with regard to election campaigns. Rallies, processions or other election campaigns of the opponents can not be disrupted or obstructed.

(2) The contending parties and candidates must in form the police authorities and their opponents of the date, time and venue of their respective rallies or marches ahead of time.

(3) The contending parties and candidates must inform the police of the time and venue of their rallies in advance so that the authorities may take necessary measures for public movement and ensure law and order.

(4) No public meeting may be held on any road disrupting the movement of people without the permission of appropriate authorities.

(5) Organisers of any rally, meeting or other programme must report to the police if their programme is disturbed by trouble makers. The organisers must not take measures against the trouble makers on their own.

(6) Following the announcement of the polling schedule, no political party or candidate may use government media, official transportation, government officials or employees or other state facilities.

(7) No posters, leaflets, or handbills may be put on the posters, leaflets of handbills of the rival candidates.

(8) No election camps may be set up on the roads or places of public use. Election camps should be simple, as far as possible; voters ca nnot be entertained with any sort of food or drinks in the election camps.

(9) Government dak bungalows, rest houses, circuit houses or any government office can not be used as a place for election campaign.

(10) Posters for election campaigns must be printed on country-made paper in black and white and cannot be more than 22"x18" in size.

(11) No contender should use more than three microphones at a time in his respective area and the use of mikes will be limited between 2 pm and 8 pm.

(12) Lands, buildings or other movable or immovable property of any citizen must not be damaged in connection with the election and personal peace of any person must not be violated by undesired activities or undisciplined behaviour.

(13) All contenders will refrain from all sorts of wall writings as a means of election campaign.

(14) In the interest of maintaining law and order, no motor vehicles, including motor cycles, can be moved and no sort of firearms or explosives can be carried within the premises of polling centres; no government official or local influential persons ca n illegally intervene in election activities.

(15)Truck or bus or torch processions on behalf of any candidate are banned.

(16) All political parties and candidates must cooperate with the officials and employees engaged in election duties to ensure completion of voting in a disciplined manner without any trouble.

(17) No political party or candidate can give any unpalatable or provocative statement and say anything which might hurt the sentiment of the followers of any religion.

(18) No contender will in any way exceed the fixed limit of the election expenditure.

Keeping the Election Free of any Influence:

The election must not be influenced by money, weapons, muscle power or local influence.

Access to the Polling Centre:

Only the employees and officials engaged in election duties, rival candidates, polling agents and voters will have access to the polling centres. No worker of any political party or candidate will be allowed freedom of mov ement inside the polling centres. Only the polling agents, sitting in their fixed places, may perform their specific duties.

Pre-Polling Irregularities:

Violation of any clause of the code will be considered as pre-polling irregularities and any person or political party aggrieved by such violation can apply to the electoral inquiry committee or the Election Commission to se ek remedy. If the application filed to the Election Commission is found to be objective, the commission may send it to the concerned or any electoral inquiry committee for investigation. In both the cases the electoral inquiry committee after investigati on under Article 91A of the Representation of People Order 1972 (P. O. No 155 of 1972) will submit a recommendation to the Commission.