The election Commission has removed the restriction whereby MPs or MLAs were asked to move out of the constituency where they are not registered as voters 48 hours before polling. While relaxing the rules,the EC has,however,made it clear that the MPs or MLAs cannot do canvassing in any form during this period. Also,an MLA shall stay in only his own constituency and not visit any other Assembly segment of a parliamentary constituency in case of Lok Sabha polls. ECI Secretary Sumit Mukherjee has issued directives in this regard to Chief Electoral Officers of all states and Union Territories. Earlier,any political person who was not a voter of a poll going constituency had to leave the constituency at least 48 hours before the end of poll. The restriction was applicable also to those MPs or MLAs who represented a constituency,but did not have their name in the local electoral roll as they belonged to some other constituency. The restriction will continue for political functionaries,party workers and campaigners who are brought from outside the constituency for campaigning,and who are not voters of the constituency. The rule has been relaxed for sitting MPs or MLAs but if they will violate the code of conduct or involve themselves in campaign during the 48 hours before polling,action could be taken against them, said Umesh Sinha,Chief Electoral Officer of UP.
