The basis of the running of smooth elections involves the full participation of all stakeholders. A Code of Conduct for political parties was adopted for future elections.

Political parties

This code of conduct is aimed at maintaining a peaceful atmosphere during an election or referendum campaign and on polling day.

(i)         Existing election laws and rules must be adhered to.

(ii)        All political parties and contestants will have to extend all necessary help and co-operation to the law-enforcing authorities.

(iii)       Everyone should be aware not only of his own rights, but should also respect the rights of others.

(iv)       All political parties and candidates participating in the polls will extend full co-operation to election officials and ensure their safety until the polls are over.

(v)        Election campaigns should be so organized that a congenial and peaceful atmosphere prevails during polling.

(vi)       Nothing should be done that will create tension and disrupt the congenial atmosphere of the election.  All parties shall exercise restraint in speech, manner and conduct, and show respect for the opinion of others so that electioneering does not turn into a war of words and confrontation.

(vii)       It is expected that criticism of opponents will occur during electioneering. However, indecorous and provocative speeches, statements, posters, taunting, ridiculing and innuendos shall be avoided.  Parties shall be careful so that behaviour, statements or comments do not cause unnecessary tension.

(viii)      All political parties shall be vocal against violence.  No party shall give indulgence to any kind of violent activity to demonstrate party strength or to prove supremacy.  All political parties will extend co-operation to the law-enforcing agencies for recovery of illegal arms.  No party will take any initiative for the release of any person arrested by the police, forcibly or with arms, during an election or referendum campaign or in the polling station during voting or in the vicinity of the polling station during polls.

(ix)       All parties and candidates will have equal opportunity for publicity.  Meetings, processions and other campaign activities of opponents cannot be interfered with Posters and banners shall be displayed only in accordance with the Code of Conduct set out in the Schedule hereto.

(x)        Assistance of the nearest Law-enforcing agencies will have to be sought to resist and check any sort of election offence

(xi)       Any attempts to influence voting through money or allurement are election offences.  Everyone should be aware of these offences. 

(xii)      No Government transport shall be used to carry voters to polling stations other than persons working for Government departments who are on duty or persons living in Government institutions.  This rule does not apply to a person who has the use of a Government vehicle and the vehicle is used for self and family.

(xiii)      No Defence Force vehicles shall be used to carry voters, including Defence Force personnel, to polling stations.

(xiv)      Defence Force personnel shall not go to vote in their uniform.

(xv)      Political parties will not procure voters by forcible occupation of polling stations or through illegal activities in the polling stations.

(xvi)      No candidate or party can commit or give covertly or overtly any contribution, grant or favour to any individual, institution, body or organisation until election or referendum day for the purpose of election campaigning and obtaining votes.

(xvii)    The congenial and peaceful atmosphere for an election or a referendum cannot be disturbed by spreading untrue and motivated rumour or by having recourse to conspiracy.

(xviii)   No election camps, check points and refreshment stall shall be set up by political parties, their members and supporters.  There shall be no campaigning of any sorts either individually or collectively on polling day.  District Council offices shall be closed on the day of the election or referendum.  Voters must be left alone when queuing up so that they are not influence in any way.

(xix)     Where a voter is incapacitated by blindness or other physical cause or  otherwise, he may ask the Electoral Officer to record this vote in the presence of a person selected by him.

            In those circumstances the Electoral Officer shall satisfy himself that:

                        (a)        the voter is truly incapacitated as he claims to be;

b)         that the person who is to witness the vote has been freely   and genuinely chosen by the voter; and

(c)        that the vote expressed by the voter is free.  In this respect the      political parties shall not abuse this procedure to pressure incapacitated persons to vote in their favour.

(xx)      In addition to election officials, only the voter is entitled to enter the polling stations.  The political parties shall make sure that their workers do not enter the polling stations and loiter therein. Only the polling and counting agents will remain seated at their designated seats in the polling station and discharge their responsibility from there.

No disruption shall be caused by the moving or changing of agent or any accredited persons.

(xxi)     No person shall, in a polling station or within a radius of 50 metres from a polling station, be allowed to wear or display any cloth, banner, insignia, logo, bill or board indication affiliation to or support for a registered political party.  This does not extend to the wearing of any dress or clothes of a particular colour. A candidate may wear the party colour or badge.

Use of billboards

2.1       Any election or referendum notice, political advertisement or announcement shall be displayed only on billboards.

2.2       These billboards or hoardings will be erected only at certain specific places agreed upon by the Land Transport Division, Police (Traffic Section) and Planning Authority.

2.3       Subject to the Planning Authority, Police (Traffic Section) and Land Transport Division, the size of a billboard shall be 8ft.by 4ft. and a poster shall be of an A2 size glued on plywood of the same size to be affixed on a pole. Only one poster shall be affixed per pole.

2.4       The Department of Tourism and Transport (Tourism Division) has already erected some permanent billboards in Victoria.  Only advertisements announcing local events such as educational, cultural, social or recreational and tourism promoting activities should be displayed on these boards.

2.5       Extra temporary billboards may be erected and allocated to the different political parties.

2.6       Boards or posters shall be erected on the day following Nomination Day.

2.7       All boards and political displays must be removed by the political parties as soon as possible, in any case within fourteen days of the close of the poll in the election or referendum in accordance with regulation 13 (2) (b) of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations, Cap 160.

Use of cloth banners.

3.1       Easily removable cloth banners should be utilized as much as possible instead of pasted posters.

3.2       Cloth banners shall be displayed only after the necessary permission has been obtained from the Land Transport Division and Police (Traffic Section).

3.3       All banners shall be removed as soon as possible, in any case, within fourteen days after the election or referendum.

Use of paint.

4.1       There shall be a total ban on the use of paint (liquid and sprays) to write upon, mark or paint any slogan on any road, pavement, telephone or electric post, wall, fence, etc whether on public or private property.

This is an offence punishable under Section 183 (j) of the Penal Code, Cap 73.

Electoral or referendum posters.

5.1       Electoral or Referendum posters shall be affixed only on special boards erected for this purpose as set out in paragraph 1.

5.2       No poster or any other paper shall be pasted on any wall, building, road, pavement, telephone or electric poles, fence whether public or private property.

This is an offence punishable under Section 183 (j) of the Penal Code, Cap 73.

Respect of others and their property.

            Political party members and supporters shall respect others and their property and shall refrain from causing damage to any property whether public or private.

Master Register

  7.1       For the Presidential Election all Presidential Candidates will be issued with a Master Register on  

            Nomination Day.

7.2       For National Assembly Election all National Assembly Candidates will be issued with a register for the district that they represent.

7.3       All registers will be provided FREE.