Municipal Council General Election–2025: Do’s and Don’ts Guidelines Issued

As per the order dated 04 November 2025 of the Hon’ble State Election Commission, Maharashtra, the general election programme-2025 for the posts of members and chairpersons of the Ambarnath and Kulgaon-Badlapur Municipal Councils in Thane district has been announced, and during this period, guidelines regarding what to do and what not to do have been issued by District Collector Dr. Shrikrishna Panchal.

Let us know what these guidelines are through this article…

What to Do and What Not to Do

What to Do:

• Ongoing programmes/schemes can be continued. In matters where doubt arises, clarification/approval should be obtained from the State Election Commission / Municipal Commissioner / District Collector.
• Relief and rehabilitation measures for people affected by floods, droughts, epidemics or any other natural disaster may be started and ongoing schemes related to this may be continued.
• Cash or medical concessions may be given to dying or seriously ill persons with proper approval.
• Public places like grounds must be made available impartially to all parties/candidates contesting the elections for holding election meetings.
• Similarly, the use of helipads must be made available impartially to all parties/candidates.
• Rest houses, dak bungalows and other government accommodations must be given, if permissible, to all political parties and candidates on the principle of equality, subject to the orders of the Election Commission and the Government.
• Criticism of other political parties or candidates should be limited to their policies, programmes, past performance, and completed works only.
• The right of every individual to live a peaceful and disturbance-free domestic life must be fully protected.
• Complete information regarding the venue and time of the proposed meeting should be given to the local police authorities and necessary permissions must be obtained.
• If prohibitory or restrictive orders have been issued for the proposed meeting venue, they must be fully complied with. If necessary, an application for exemption must be made and obtained in time.
• Proper permission must be obtained for using loudspeakers or any other such facility for the proposed meeting.
• Police assistance must be sought to prevent persons creating obstruction or disorder in the meeting.
• The starting time and place, the route and the ending time and place of any procession must be fixed in advance and prior permission must be obtained from the police authorities.
• Compliance with any prohibitory orders and all traffic rules must be ensured while the procession passes through any area.
• Processions must not cause any obstruction in traffic.
• Persons participating in the procession must not carry any objects that can be misused as missiles or weapons.
• Full cooperation must be given to all election officers to ensure peaceful and orderly polling.
• Candidates and their authorised workers must obtain proper badges and identity cards from the election administration and display them prominently.
• Identity slips given to voters must be on plain (white) paper and must not contain any sign, name of candidate or party.
• Restrictions on the use of vehicles on polling day must be fully followed.
• No person may enter the polling booth unless he/she has valid authorisation from the State Election Commission / Municipal Commissioner / District Collector or their authorised officer.
• No exemption is granted even to high-ranking persons (e.g., Chief Minister, Minister, Deputy Minister, MP, MLA, MLC).
• Any complaint or issue related to conduct of election must be brought to the notice of the Election Returning Officer / Sector/Division Magistrate / Observer appointed by the State Election Commission.
• Instructions/orders/guidelines issued by the State Election Commission / Commissioner, Municipal Corporation / District Collector / Returning Officer must be followed in all matters related to various aspects of elections.

What Not to Do:

• Government vehicles, staff, or machinery must not be used for election campaigning.
• The following government vehicles are included: vehicles of the Central Government, State Government, public undertakings, boards, corporations, joint-sector undertakings, local self-governments, municipal bodies, marketing boards, cooperatives, Zilla Parishads, Panchayat Samitis, Gram Panchayats, any institution with public funds, vehicles owned by Ministry of Defence, Home Ministry, Central Police Forces, etc.—trucks, lorries, tempos, jeeps, cars, autorickshaws, buses, aircraft, helicopters, ships, boats, hovercraft, and all other vehicles.
• The party in power must not issue advertisements at the expense of the government treasury regarding achievements.
• No announcement of any financial grants, foundation stone laying, promises of new roads, etc. must be made.
• No ad-hoc appointments should be made in government/public sector undertakings.
• Ministers (including Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers) shall not enter the polling booth or counting centre unless they are a candidate, authorised representative, or a voter.
• No government function should be performed along with election campaign/promotion.
• No voter should be offered any financial or other inducement.
• Appeals must not be made to voters on caste or religious grounds.
• No act should be attempted which may intensify differences or increase enmity or create tension among different castes, tribes, religious or linguistic groups.
• No criticism should be made on private life aspects of leaders or workers of other parties which are not related to their public activities.
• No criticism should be made on the basis of unverified allegations or distortion of facts.
• Places of worship must not be used for election campaign, speeches, posters, or music.
• Bribery, undue influence, intimidation, impersonation, transporting voters to and from polling booths, etc., are prohibited as corrupt practices/election offences.
• Demonstrations or sit-in protests must not be held outside anyone’s house to express dissent against their views or actions.
• No one may use another person’s land, building, wall, etc., for putting up flags, cloth banners, posters, notices, or writing slogans without permission—this includes government, public, and private spaces.
• No obstruction must be created in public meetings or processions of other political parties or candidates.
• No procession must be taken out by one party at the place where a meeting of another party is being held.
• Campaign posters or wall posters put up by other candidates/parties must not be removed; objections, if any, must be brought to police or the Returning Officer.
• No display of campaign materials, party flags, symbols, etc., must be done at places where identity slips are distributed or near polling booths.
• Loudspeakers (fixed or mounted on vehicles) must not be used before 6:00 AM or after 10:00 PM without written permission, and Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 must be strictly followed.
• No loudspeaker use in public meetings, processions, or campaign rallies without written prior permission. Such meetings/campaigns must not continue after 10:00 PM as per Hon’ble Supreme Court orders.
• No distribution of money, liquor, or goods of any kind must be done during the election period.