Why in News
The Election Commission (EC) advised West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to halt his plan to tour Cooch Behar district on April 18 and 19, saying that it would violate the Model Code of Conduct and disturb poll officials and the police
Cooch Behar is set to vote in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election on April 19
Campaigning ended in Cooch Behar, marking the beginning of the “silence period” before voting.
Section 126 of the RPA, 1951
Under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the “silence period” brings in a multitude of restrictions and a higher level of enforcement by poll authorities.
126: Prohibition of public meetings during period of forty-eight hours ending with hour fixed for conclusion of poll.—
(1)No person shall—
(a) convene, hold, attend, join or address any public meeting or procession in connection with an election; or
(b) display to the public any election matter by means of cinematograph, television or other similar apparatus; or
( c) propagate any election matter to the public by holding, or by arranging the holding of, any musical concert or any theatrical performance or any other entertainment or amusement with a view to attracting the members of the public thereto, in any polling area during the period of forty-eight hours ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of the poll for any election in that polling area.
(2) Any person who contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine, or with both.
(3) In this section, the expression “election matter” means any matter intended or calculated to influence or affect the result of an election.
COMMENTS