ADR and Punjab election watch urge EC to replace Ludhiana DEO for failing to act on blatant MCC violations

5 days ago 11

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LUDHIANA: The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Punjab Election Watch have jointly submitted a detailed complaint to the Election Commission of India (ECI), urging immediate and decisive action in response to rampant violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in the ongoing Ludhiana West bye-election.

With a few days left for polling on June 19, the organizations have demanded the removal of the District Election Officer (DEO) for dereliction of duty, and called for the strict enforcement of the Rs 40 lakh expenditure limit on candidates.The complaint, also addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Punjab, includes GPS-tagged, photographic evidence of widespread illegal hoardings and campaign materials in violation of ECI guidelines.

These materials are not only unauthorized and environmentally harmful but also likely to push candidate spending well beyond the legal threshold.The DEO’s failure to act suo moto on visible violations is a betrayal of voter trust and a breach of ECI's own directives. Repeated inaction grants an unfair advantage to certain candidates and sets a dangerous precedent,” said *Jaskirat Singh*, Trustee, ADR. “We are witnessing unchecked use of plastic flex boards, misuse of government machinery, and zero transparency in shadow registers. We demand accountability — now, not after the polls,” added *Parvinder Singh Kittna*, Coordinator, Punjab Election Watch.Major allegations in the complaint

Massive illegal hoardings across Ludhiana beyond constituency limits violate MCC and likely breach the ₹40 lakh expenditure cap. The DEO has taken no visible action.
Shadow expenditure teams, proxy campaigners, and lavish advertising efforts are reportedly being overlooked by expenditure observers, in violation of ECI norms and the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Posters and banners that violate Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) approvals have flooded public spaces.
Plastic and non-biodegradable campaign materials continue to be used rampantly, flouting ECI’s sustainability advisories and polluting the city.
Ministers, official vehicles, and police/security staff have allegedly been misused for campaign purposes in breach of MCC Part VII.
No public updates on enforcement actions, shadow registers, or show-cause notices have been released, preventing citizen oversight.

Demands from ECI

Immediate removal of the current DEO for failure to enforce the MCC and monitor expenditure.
Strict tracking of candidate spending, with shadow registers made public and audits conducted in real-time.
Immediate removal of unauthorized campaign materials, with costs added to candidate accounts.
Promotion of the cVIGIL app for public reporting of violations, alongside voter education and outreach.
Action against use of government resources for campaigning.
Show-cause notices, disqualifications, and legal action under Sections 77, 78, and 10A of the Representation of the People Act, where applicable.
Referral of excessive or unaccounted spending to the Income Tax Department.

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