All presidential candidates have signed the code of conduct of the IEC requiring them to guard their word and conduct themselves so as to avoid conflict. The relevant citation states:
“Political parties, their candidates, or any independent candidate, agents, workers or supporters of political parties or any independent candidates shall
(c) not insult or slander another candidate, nor use any language which is inflammatory, defamatory or insulting or which constitutes an incitement to public disorder, insurrection, hate, violence or war;
(j) refrain from action or making speeches based on or which may incite, or are calculated to incite sentiments of a sectional, divisive, religious, ethnic or regional nature.”
A breach of the provision of this Code shall result to the cancellation of the registration of a political party, or in case of an independent candidate, the cancellation of the nomination of the candidate.
All the six presidential candidates signed that observance of this Code is a condition of their candidature for the presidential election of 4th December. Their observance is crucial to attain a smooth and peaceful election.
