Srinagar, Mar 17: Following the Lok Sabha elections schedule announcement, the Bandipora district administration has instructed civilians and both retired and serving forces personnel possessing arms and ammunition under valid licenses to deposit them at the respective police stations within seven days.
In a series of orders, District Election Officer/District Magistrate Bandipora Shakeel-ul-Reman directed all printing presses, operating within territorial jurisdiction of the north Kashmir district, to clearly indicate in the print line the names and addresses of printer and publisher of any election pamphlets or posters.
An order issued by the DEO/DM reads: “In connection with the subject & reference cited above, I, Shakeel ul Rehman. IAS, District Election Officer/District Magistrate, Bandipora, in exercise of the powers vested in me under Section 144 CrPC read with the instructions contained in para 3.6 of ….communication of Election Commission of India, do hereby order that all the civilians and forces personnel (retired & serving), presently residing within the territorial jurisdiction of the District Bandipora and who are in possession of arms & ammunition on a valid arms licence, shall deposit their arms and ammunition in the concerned Police Station(s) within a period of 07 days from the date of the issue of the order.”
“Further, in pursuance of instructions contained in ….. communication of Election Commission of India, there shall be a complete prohibition on issuance of new arms licence till the culmination of election process”, it reads.
Meanwhile, the DC ordered that all printing presses, operating within territorial jurisdiction of District Bandipora, shall indicate clearly in the print line the names and addresses of printer and publisher of any election pamphlets or posters or such other material printed by them.
These printing presses shall also send the copies of the printed material (alongwith three extra copies of each such printed material) and the declaration obtained from the publisher as required under Section 127 A(2), to this office, within three days of its printing, reads the order.
The administration warned the printing press owners/operators against any violation of the provisions of section 127 A of Representation of People’s Act, 1951 and the instructions of Election Commission of India, underling that the same would be viewed “very seriously” which may in appropriate-cases include even the revocation of the licence of the printing press.
Official vehicles banned for electioneering
Bandipora, Mar 17: In compliance with the directives from the Election Commission of India (ECI), the District Magistrate/District Election Officer (DM/DEO) of Bandipora has issued orders imposing a total ban on the use of official vehicles for campaigning, electioneering, or any election-related travel during the General Elections to Lok Sabha-2024, within the territorial jurisdiction of district Bandipora.
The order defines “official vehicle” broadly, encompassing any vehicle used or capable of being used for transport, including those belonging to various governmental bodies, public undertakings, local bodies, and cooperative societies.
“It is further clarified that the expression official vehicle means and shall include, any vehicle used or capable of being used for the purpose of transport, whether propelled by mechanical power or otherwise and will include trucks, lorries, tempos, jeeps, cars, auto rickshaws, e-rickshaws, buses, belonging to Central Government, State Government/ UT Administrations, public undertakings of Central/ State Government, Joint sector undertakings of Central/ State Government, local bodies, municipal corporations, marketing boards, cooperative societies or any other body in which public funds, however small a portion of the total, are invested,” reads the order.
These instructions shall be strictly adhered to by all concerned government departments, political parties, candidates, etc, the DM ordered. Senior Superintendent of Police, Bandipora and Additional District Magistrate, Bandipora (Nodal Officer-MCC), have been designated to ensure implementation of these instructions in letter and spirit.
