The Election Commission has said that election model code of conduct needs legislative teeth for it to function effectively.
"We are going to recommend to the government that legislative shape be given to the code of conduct so that Election Commission will have powers to deal with the incidents of violations more effectively," Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishna Murthy told reporters after chairing a conference of the state election commissioners in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
The CEC needs to have powers to disqualify a candidate or impose penalties in the event of any violations, he said.
"The Election Commission should be given powers to deal with cases of violations. Otherwise, in the present system, there are legal delays and as a result the purpose is lost," he said.
"If such powers are given to the Election Commission to deal with the violation, it will be very useful to improve the quality of elections," he observed.
Murthy, who will demit office next month, said the Election Commission had also suggested that the candidates who vacate seats, after contesting and winning from more than one constituency, should make 'token payment' of Rs 10 lakh in the case of Lok Sabha seat and Rs 5 lakh for Assembly seat.
"This was one of the recommendations made by us and we are yet to receive the respose from the government," the CEC said.
The day-long conference, attended by Election Commissioners B B Tandon and N Gopalaswamy and election commissioners from 24 states, deliberated on a wide range of issues including revision of electoral rolls, deployment of Electronic Voting Machines, code of conduct, rules and regulations.
The EC has also decided to introduce photo-electoral rolls all over the country in the next three years.
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