Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The State Election Commission (SEC) has allowed CM Kanyadan Yojna and Nikaah Yojna during panchayat polls but with some riders. Secretary of the SEC, Rakesh Singh issued the instructions on Friday.
Earlier, the social justice department had asked the election commission to consider giving permission for marriages under CM Kanyadan and Nikaah Yojna. The department had pleaded that auspicious dates are around and according to the calendar prepared by the department mass marriages have to be held.
The State Election Commission said that if mass marriages are performed under the CM Kanyadan and Nikaah Yojna then publicity of such programmes should not be made nor advertisements be issued. Moreover, the contestants and any political representative should not remain present in such programmes.
The election commission has also directed the social justice department that the duty of officials in these programmes should be planned in a manner that it does not affect their election duties.
The secretary of the state election commission, Rakesh Singh said that general instructions have also been issued that during such programmes special care should be taken that model code of conduct should not be violated.
Representatives of Congress had earlier said that such programmes are organized during polls to influence the voters however, it too said that the political representatives should be restrained in participating in such programmes.
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