Model Code of Conduct does not disrupt routine govt works

GANGTOK, 25 Sept: “Ongoing projects and programmes of the State government departments will continue and all bills and payments for works already initiated before the Model Code of Conduct came into effect [yesterday] can be processed and paid out. What the Model Code of Conduct forbids is the announcement of new projects and programmes,” explained State Election Commissioner SK Gautam, when contacted to seek clarifications on the scope and extent of the code which came into effect in Sikkim yesterday with the announcement of the Panchayat election dates.
It may be recalled that even as dissident MLA, PS Tamang, contended recently that the panchayat poll announcement was timed to allow the government the excuse of model code of conduct when it came to clearing bills of smaller contractors and cooperative societies ahead of Dasain, there are also many who fear that payments will be stopped until the polls are over. That is obviously not the case and as is obvious from the SEC’s comment, routine government works like bill payments and the like will not be disrupted because of the code of conduct.
What the code disallows are announcement of financial grants or promises or ad hoc appointments in government service etc “which may have the effect of influencing the voters in favour of the party in power”. Ministers and other authorities are also forbidden from sanctioning grants/payments out of their discretionary funds while the model code of conduct is in force.      
The Commissioner, when asked to explain why the code was extended to all of Sikkim when only the rural areas were going to polls, explained that urban zones [which will not be having panchayat elections] are miniscule in Sikkim and very close to the panchayat areas. The urban pockets are surrounded by rural segments and so close that announcements or meetings in the urban zones could have a direct impact on the rural areas, hence the extension of the model code of conduct to all of Sikkim, Mr. Gautam explained.
Political parties could take undue advantage of the urban areas if they were kept out of the Model Code of Conduct jurisdiction. This, they could do by conducting general meetings and announcing political agendas which would directly affect the rural areas and its action and impact would be directed at the villages where the Panchayat elections are being conducted. Hence, the extension of Model Code of Conduct all over Sikkim.
“This was decided after much thought and extensive deliberations,” he added.