For the first time, the Election Commission (EC) has approved a list of places in the district for political parties to organize public meetings for the assembly election. The EC on Wednesday approved 151 places in Coimbatore district that district administration officials had sent for approval.
In Coimbatore, while the DMK and the All India Anna Dravidar Munnetra Kazhagam are yet to begin their campaigning, the Bharathiya Janata Party will begin its campaigning on Sunday.
Until the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, political parties would approach the district administration with a place of their choice to organize public meetings. EC officials would give their approval after visiting the place. "We would check for educational institutions, hospitals, and ensure a few other mandatory regulations are followed," said district collector Archana Patnaik.
Now, with a list of places pre-decided, political parties will have to choose from one of the 151 locations based on the size of the audience in each constituency. The EC has prescribed the capacity of each location as well. "This will ensure that the public meeting does not disturb traffic, and residents of the area," a senior official of the EC said.
The locations decided by the EC includes places like bus stops, grounds, places for public gatherings in villages, temple grounds etc. Alagu Nagar in Kalapatti near the Coimbatore Airport has the smallest capacity (100), and Codissia grounds on Avinashi Road has the largest capacity (20,000).
Besides preparing the list of places for public meetings for the first time, the EC has also introduced online facility for applying for these locations. "Political parties can apply between seven days before and within 48hours of the said event. Permission will be given on first come first serve basis," a senior EC official said. Parties can submit their application offline as well.
Political parties feel that this would level the playing field between the big and small parties. "Since the process is now online, it becomes transparent. So, the ruling party cannot exercise its power to get a favourable location," said DMK leader Meena Logunathan.
However, parties feel that the timeframe set by the EC to apply for the location could be relaxed. "We (BJP) are a national party, and we will have the prime minister, senior cabinet ministers campaigning for us. And, their schedule is decided two-three days in advance. So, there should be some relaxation in such situations," said BJP election-in-charge in Coimbatore, R Nandhakumar.
In Coimbatore, while the DMK and the All India Anna Dravidar Munnetra Kazhagam are yet to begin their campaigning, the Bharathiya Janata Party will begin its campaigning on Sunday.
Until the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, political parties would approach the district administration with a place of their choice to organize public meetings. EC officials would give their approval after visiting the place. "We would check for educational institutions, hospitals, and ensure a few other mandatory regulations are followed," said district collector Archana Patnaik.
Now, with a list of places pre-decided, political parties will have to choose from one of the 151 locations based on the size of the audience in each constituency. The EC has prescribed the capacity of each location as well. "This will ensure that the public meeting does not disturb traffic, and residents of the area," a senior official of the EC said.
The locations decided by the EC includes places like bus stops, grounds, places for public gatherings in villages, temple grounds etc. Alagu Nagar in Kalapatti near the Coimbatore Airport has the smallest capacity (100), and Codissia grounds on Avinashi Road has the largest capacity (20,000).
Besides preparing the list of places for public meetings for the first time, the EC has also introduced online facility for applying for these locations. "Political parties can apply between seven days before and within 48hours of the said event. Permission will be given on first come first serve basis," a senior EC official said. Parties can submit their application offline as well.
Political parties feel that this would level the playing field between the big and small parties. "Since the process is now online, it becomes transparent. So, the ruling party cannot exercise its power to get a favourable location," said DMK leader Meena Logunathan.
However, parties feel that the timeframe set by the EC to apply for the location could be relaxed. "We (BJP) are a national party, and we will have the prime minister, senior cabinet ministers campaigning for us. And, their schedule is decided two-three days in advance. So, there should be some relaxation in such situations," said BJP election-in-charge in Coimbatore, R Nandhakumar.