200 complaints received from various political parties: ECI

New Delhi: Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday said that approximately 200 complaints have been filed by various political parties and candidates at the level of ECI and across states.

“Of these, action has been taken in 169 cases,” the ECI said.

It said that the total complaints received from BJP were 51, out of which action has been taken in 38 cases, complaints from Congress were 59, with action taken in 51 cases while complaints received from other parties were 90, out of which action has been taken in 80 cases.

ECI said that with a month completed since the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect on March 16, they are broadly satisfied with the compliance of the code by political parties and that campaign by various parties and candidates has remained largely clutter-free.

The ECI said that during the one-month period, 16 delegations from 07 political parties met the Commission to lodge their complaints on alleged violations of MCC and related matters.

“Many delegations met in the states at the level of Chief Electoral Officer. All political parties have been treated at par, time given to all even at short notice and their grievances patiently heard,” it said.

The ECI said that during the last month, the e-guidelines plugging gap in-law have been issued, on complaint from AAP against anonymous advertisements in hoardings cum billboards in the Delhi Municipal Commission area without giving names of the publisher.

“Giving wider amplitude to the meaning of ‘Pamphlet and poster’ in the existing law by including hoardings, guidelines have been issued to Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs mandating the clear identification of printer and publisher on printed election-related material including hoardings, ensuring accountability and transparency in campaign communications,” it said.

The ECI has also got FIR lodged against remarks made by Anitha R Radhakrishnan, DMK leader towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi while on a complaint from Congress and AAP, the directives were issued to MeitY to stop the transmission of the government’s Viksit Bharat Message on Whatsapp post announcement of elections.

The EC also said that a total of 2,68,080 complaints have been filed on ‘cVigil’, the Commission’s portal on violations for citizens.

Of these, action has been taken in 2,67,762 cases and 92 per cent were resolved in less than 100 minutes.

“Due to the efficacy of cVigil, there is a substantial reduction in illegal hoardings, defacement of property, campaigning beyond permissible time, deployment of vehicles beyond permitted ones,” the EC added.