Delhi Election: EC has urged the political parties to be eco-friendly during the Delhi elections

Growing degree of environmental pollution and its resulting impact have become a serious concern during recent years. The upcoming Delhi Election is no exception.

According to the press note released on 6 January 2020, the Election Commission of India (EC) has urged all the political parties concerned with the Assembly Elections 2020 to stick to environment-friendly materials during the course of their campaigns.

Push for eco-friendly elections

This isn’t the first time that the EC has urged the political parties to be eco-friendly during the elections. Before the last Lok Sabha election, the EC issued another notice on 16 February 2019 insisting that all the political parties must take the necessary steps desisting from the use of single-use plastics during election campaigns.

Eco-friendly measures highly expected during the election campaign in Delhi

• Political parties must desist from using single-use plastic and non-biodegradable materials during their election campaign activities.
• Political parties, contesting candidates and their authorized agents must avoid using environmentally hazardous materials like plastics, polythene, etc., for preparing the election publicity related materials during the Delhi assembly elections.
• During their meetings with the political parties and contesting candidates, the DEOs and ROs will have to stress on the importance of environmental protection and will ensure that EC’s instructions regarding the use of non-eco-friendly materials like plastics and polythene are adhered to.
• The CEO will insist on the importance of using biodegradable and eco-friendly materials in preparing the campaign materials in the UT and instruct the parties concerned in this regard.
• The EC views that noise pollution is a serious disturbance to the peace and tranquillity of the general public. To safeguard the interests of the public, students, sick, infirm and the aged, the EC has banned the use of loudspeakers, and all public address systems, whether stationary or fitted on vehicles, during the night between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am.
• The political parties and contesting candidates must also refrain from using sound amplification and loudspeakers around schools and colleges, senior citizen homes, hospitals and other facilities that care for the sick, needy and infirm.
• Loudspeakers must not be used during the period of 48 hours after polls have concluded in a given area.