Section 144 CrPC imposed in East Khasi Hills District for smooth conduct of Lok Sabha Election

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 16, 2024

District Magistrate and District Election Officer, East Khasi Hills District, Shillong Sibhi Chakravarthy Sadhu, IAS on Saturday prohibited political Parties or candidates from putting up banners on all roads/thoroughfares.

The prohibition was imposed under Section 144 CrPC which was promulgated on Saturday evening hours after the declaration of schedule of election by the Election Commission of India.

According to the prohibitory order, no wall writing, pasting of posters/papers or defacement in any other form, or erecting/displaying of cut-outs, hoardings, banners etc. shall be permitted on any public property/public premises. The order also banned rallies and procession without the permission from the District Administration.

Further, no wall writing, pasting of posters/papers or defacement in any other form, or erecting/displaying of cut-outs, hoardings, banners etc. shall be permitted on any private property, private walls without Written Permission from the house-owners and final approval from the office of the undersigned.

No Election meeting would be allowed without taking permission from the Office of the undersigned and subsequently local headmen regarding the venue of the meeting, said the prohibitory order.

The District Magistrate informed no. P.A. System will be allowed to be used between 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM while in case of P.A System/Loud speakers which are used without permission from the District Administration the same would be seized immediately by the local authorities. 

In a separate prohibitory order, the District Magistrate East Khasi Hills District prohibited any person or group of persons from carrying money above 50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand) only, in the East Khasi Hills District as per provision of Section 144 CrPC.

The order was imposed in view of the direction from the Election Commission of India for checking bribery of Voters during the conduct of any election and ensure the voters exercise the franchise freely and fairly without fear or inducement.

Meanwhile in another prohibitory order under Section 144 CrPC, the District Magistrate East Khasi Hills District prohibit any sort of agitational programme in any form, by any individual or organization in the East Khasi Hills District for ensuring smooth conduct of the General Elections to the Lok Sabha 2024.