“silence period’ Under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951:

Why in News? The Election commission has recently  halted Bengal Governor’s Cooch Behar trip on poll eve.

The EC said  Ananda Bose’s programme will violate Model Code of Conduct and disturb poll officials and the police; it feels there is no ‘imminently known’ need for the tour on April 18, 19.

What EC said ?

• “Under the Model Code of Conduct and being poll day, no local programme can be organised for the Governor as proposed in his issued programme.
• It added that the entire district administration and police force would be fully occupied in election management, and would have to divert from those time-bound duties if they were required to provide any protocol and security cover for the Governor.

Section 126 in The Representation of the People Act, 1951:

• Prohibition of public meetings during period of forty-eight hours ending with hour fixed for conclusion of poll.—
• (1)No person shall—
• (a) convene, hold, attend, join or address any public meeting or procession in connection with an election; or
• (b)display to the public any election matter by means of cinematograph, television or other similar apparatus; or
• (c) propagate any election matter to the public by holding, or by arranging the holding of, any musical concert or any theatrical performance or any other entertainment or amusement with a view to attracting the members of the public thereto.
• (2) Any person who contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine, or with both.
• (3) In this section, the expression “election matter” means any matter intended or calculated to influence or affect the result of an election.