ECI gives conditional permission for video-conferencing during natural calamity
Bhopal: Election Commission has permitted video-conferencing by the Chief Minister or concerning minister with officers in the event of natural calamity. Earlier, the commission had directed that no video-conferencing will take place between the Chief Minister/Ministers/political functionaries of the Union and state governments with the officials. The commission reconsidered the matter in the light of certain requests and permitted video-conferencing in the event of natural calamity.
The conditions include that the department concerned will seek permission from CEO of the state before holding video-conferencing. For subsequent video-conferencing, permission will have to be sought from the commission. Only the collector/district magistrate and senior officers in-charge of relief for natural calamity in the concerning area will be called to the video-conferencing. No issue other than rescue/relief and other aspects connected to the calamity will be discussed in the video-conferencing. No publicity will be given to the video-conferencing before and after and it should not be open to media.
The commission has also put the condition that an audio-video recording of the video-conferencing will be maintained by the concerning department and a copy of the same will be provided to the CEO. No announcement or promise of any grant, assistance in cash or kind, and no statement of political nature or announcement capable of influencing the electors will be made through the video-conferencing. A representative of the CEO will be present during the video-conferencing.
