The Election Commission on Friday said political parties cannot use public funds and government machinery to promote themselves. The poll panel also barred political parties from using government resources to advertise their election symbols.

The EC said, "The Commission is of the view that utilising public funds/public place for promoting any political party or propagating its election symbol would be antithetical to the concept of free and fair election and the principle of level playing field for all stakeholders." The EC’s order came two months after the Delhi High Court asked the panel to issue guidelines to stop the practice. The court requested the EC to intervene while hearing a plea that had sought cancellation of Bahujan Samaj Party’s election symbol ‘elephant’ on the pretext that the party misused public funds to install them when Mayawati was the chief minister of the state, reported PTI.

The EC had asked political parties for their response in the matter. Most of the parties reportedly agreed to the step. The EC said, "It is clarified that any violation of the… directions would be treated as violation of a lawful direction of the Commission."