Committee to look into RP Act to make it more effective submits its report

New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) The committee constituted by the Election Commission (EC) to review and suggest modifications in Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act 1951, provisions of Model Code of Conduct and other aspects on Thursday submitted its report.The committee was tasked to study the present provisions of the Section 126 and other related sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and identify critical gaps to regulate the violation of the Act, particularly during the prohibitory period of 48 hours before the completion of the polls.It also examined difficulties in regulating new media platforms during multiphase elections when prohibitory period of 48 hours is in force, and studied provisions of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) related to these issues.The committee included the representatives from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Law and Justice, Press Council of India, and News Broadcasters Association apart from senior officers of the Commission."The recommendations made by the committee, when implemented after adoption by the EC with necessary modification or additions, will help in minimizing the possible interference of activities which aim at indirectly influencing voters during the valuable silence period of 48 hours provided to them," the EC said in a release.
--IANS mak/prs