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Ban on Use of Official Vehicles during Campaigning

Last updated on May 28, 2024

The use of any official vehicles for campaigning or election-related travel from the date of announcement of elections till the completion of elections is not allowed.1

But, if a political leader is under threat of extremist and terrorist activities and requires security, they can request the Election Commission for the use of an official vehicle.

What are Official Vehicles?

Official vehicles are those vehicles that belong to the following2:

  • Central/State government,
  • Public Undertakings/Joint Sector Undertakings of central and state governments,
  • Local bodies, Panchayats, Municipal Corporations, Cooperative Societies, Marketing boards,
  • Autonomous district councils in which public funds are invested,
  • Ministry of Defence and other Ministers.

The different kinds of official vehicles are helicopters, aircraft, cars, jeeps, automobiles, boats, hovercrafts, trucks, lorries, tempos, cycle-rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, buses, etc.

  1. Section 123(5) and Section 160, Representation of the People Act, 1951. [↩]
  2. FAQs, Election Commission of India, available at https://eci.gov.in/faqs/. [↩]

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Unknown

October 10, 2024

In my municipality the chairperson is using the government vehicle which is assigned to be used for electrical department only, He is using to stick posters on the pillars which are placed in the highways for navigation for people’s ..

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