Raipur, Oct 14: The Election Commission (EC) has directed the district administration of five states going to the polls to seize official vehicles used for campaigning. "Issuing guidelines to stop misutilisation of government vehicles during electioneering, the EC has directed the district administration to immediately seize a vehicle if it is utilised for campaign,” state election office sources told news agencies here today.

The order will be in force from the date of announcement of poll schedule till the end of the process, and the district administration was authorised to take over any vehicle which was violating this direction, sources said adding, it will not be released till the election process was over.
The vehicles of the Centre, state, PSUs, local bodies like muncipalities and even cooperative bodies' will be called official vehicles, the commission said adding, for any misutilisation of the vehicle the official of the concerned department will be held responsible.

However, Prime Minister and political personalities, who have a threat to their life or having a higher security arrangement, are exempted from this direction, they said.
Bureau Report