KANNUR: Political parties in the district have been instructed by the District Electoral Officer and District Collector K.S. Srinivas to strictly abide by the election code of conduct.

The election code of conduct was explained at the meeting of Returning Officers, observers and representatives of the political parties here on Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by the Collector.

The district has 15,50,291 voters and 6,110 service voters. It was informed that ballot papers for the service voters were being sent by post from Tuesday. While postal ballots had been printed in the Government Press here, the normal ballot papers would be printed in Thiruvananthapuram.

The names of Assembly constituencies and the number of service voters in each of them are as follows: Irikkur - 608, Payyannur - 908, Taliparamba - 958, Azhikode 389, Kannur - 311, Edakkad - 1058, Thalassery - 374, Peringalam - 254, Koothuparamba - 573 and Peravur - 677.

Party leaders were told that campaigning would be permitted till 5 p.m. on May 1. Rival candidates should not be personally criticised during the campaign, they were told. Candidates should not seek votes in the name of caste or religion. They were also told that political parties should submit applications in advance to respective Returning Officers for hiring campaign vehicles.

Passes required for the campaign vehicles would be issued by the Deputy Collector (Election). Police permission was required for fixing public sound system on the vehicles. Use of mikes would not be allowed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Campaign vehicles without proper permit would be monitored by the observers, the party leaders were told. The Collector also warned that places of worship should not be turned into a venue of electioneering. Those holding campaign jathas should take permit in advance, he said.

A convoy of campaign vehicles should not exceed three vehicles. Election campaign graffiti and posters would not be allowed in public places and properties. Defacement squads would remove them and the expenditure accrued would be included in the account of the candidate concerned. The campaign expenditure of a candidate should not exceed Rs.10 lakhs.

The Collector also instructed the party leaders that slips being given by party workers to voters should be printed in white papers. The slips should only contain the voters' names, serial numbers, part number in the voters' list and the polling date. Election symbols should not be included in them. Party booths would not be allowed within 200 metres of the polling booths. Cell phones, chord-less phones and wireless phones would be barred within 100 metres of the polling booths.

The Collector also said that Central Government employees would be deployed in sensitive booths in the district. Officials on polling duty would be informed of their polling booths on May 2 only. He also said that 500 of the total 1,000 digital cameras being installed in polling stations in the State, under the instruction of the Election Commission, were likely to be used in the district. Specially trained officers would be appointed for using the cameras. Photos of all voters reaching the booths to cast their votes would be taken. The Election Commission has instructed to order re-poll in the event of malpractices in the polling.

Mr. Srinivas also said that electoral photo identity cards alone would be allowed to prove identity of the voter in the election. Electronic voting machines would be set ready for the polling at 9 a.m. on April 30.

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