The Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of Lok Sabha elections has issued series of instructions on use of marriage hall, community hall, distribution of freebies and food packets to voters. Manish Ranjan, Additional Chief Electoral Officer said, “The District Electoral Officer will  go through the booking of community halls, marriage halls verifying that the halls has been booked for marriage or other social functions or for other arrangements. Marriage card or cards for other social functions is mandatory for booking marriage halls and community halls.”

Ranjan also said that if the District Electoral Officer discovers any type of booking of marriage halls, community halls or organizing any functions which is dubious in nature than information has to provided to Income Tax (IT) department so that the IT department verifies such arrangements.

Also, organizing feast or distributing food by religious institutions or religious groups ahead of election is violation of model code of conduct (MCI) and is punishable under section 133 of the Representation of People Act, 1951. The District Electoral Officer will verify such functions and will ensure that feast or distribution of food packets to people is not done in large quantity. Ranjan said, “If the District Electoral Officer founds any suspicious in such functions that the district administration should take action so as to ensure that such function is banned.” As per ECI directive if any candidates, directly or indirectly participates at any feast with an attempt to lure voters that the expenses incurred in hosting such feast will be counted in the poll expenses of the candidates. However, participation of candidates in any religious function feast such as langar, marriage function or any other function such as birthday, death will not be counted as model code of conduct violation provided the candidates participates in such functions as commoner. The expenses incurred in such functions will not be counted as poll expenses of candidates.