PANJIM: The State government has constituted a three-member Screening Committee under chief secretary to examine all proposals of the departments, related to Model Code of Conduct (MCC), before seeking approval from the election authorities.
With Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing poll schedule, the MCC has come into force in the State from January 8 and will remain in force till end of counting process on March 10. Polls in Goa are scheduled on February 14.
As per ECI guidelines, during MCC period, government need to seek approval from Chief Electoral Office (CEO) for major administrative proposals.
Under Secretary (personnel) Vishal Kundaikar in an order issued has informed about government sanction to constitute a Screening Committee under the chairmanship of chief secretary. Secretary or principal secretary of the concern departments to which the proposal relates and secretary of general administration are the members on the committee.
Kundaikar said that the proposals related to MCC shall be submitted to the Screening Committee through General Administrative Department by the respective administrative departments with the approval of the concerned secretary/principal secretary of that department.
“The committee shall examine each proposal with reference to MCC before sending it to ECI through the CEO of the State, in the light of the commission’s existing instructions/clarifications available in the form of manual on Model Code of Conduct/compendium of instructions on conduct/instructions available on the commission’s website,” stated the order issued on January 10.
