BackNot in favour of legal status for model code of conduct: Sampath
Not in favour of legal status for model code of conduct: Sampath
Premium
New Delhi: The new chief election commissioner (CEC) V.S. Sampath said on Monday that he was not in favour of giving a legal status to the model code of conduct that political parties and candidates have to follow while campaigning.
The suggestion had been made by a parliamentary standing committee.
“The view of the Election Commission has always been that the model code is an effective instrument in the hands of Election Commission in election management," Sampath told reporters, after succeeding S.Y. Quraishi as the CEC on Monday. “Anything that anyone wants to do will be certainly part of a larger public debate."
EC had said it had never used the order to cancel or suspend the status of a recognized political party given to any group. It said if the model conduct of code is brought under the RPA, it would open the doors for legal cases that could go all the way from the lower courts to the Supreme Court, making it a lengthy process that could be widely misused. The commission also said that a statutory status may curb its own powers.
Sampath, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1973 batch, refused to comment when asked about setting up a collegium to appoint the election commissioners. The system was proposed by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani and received support from various political parties. Advani suggested that like in the selection process of the chief vigilance commissioner (CVC), the leader of the opposition should be involved in choosing the chief election commissioner.
The new CEC said, “I have been entrusted with the job and I intend to do it well," adding that the commission would soon issue a notification for the presidential election. “All preparatory work is in full swing and an announcement regarding the election schedule is due shortly," he said.
PTI contributed to this story
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
