Bar use of ‘mental’ & ‘mad’ jibe: Psychiatry body to poll panel

Bar use of ‘mental’ & ‘mad’ jibe: Psychiatry body to poll panel

1. The Indian Psychiatry Society (IPS) has requested the Election Commission of India to put a ban on the use of words like mental instability and mad. These words are used by politicians while describing their opponents during the election campaign.
2. The Indian Psychiatry Society has said that the words used by politicians are discriminatory, inhuman and degrading over the rights of persons suffering from mental disorders. It has urged the ECI to bring the issue under the Model code of conduct(MCC) so that politicians don’t use these sensitive words during election campaigns.
3. Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) is the largest association of Indian Psychiatrists. It was founded in 1929 under the banner of Royal Medico Psychological Association.
4. The objectives of the Indian Psychiatric Society are (a)to promote and advance the subject of Psychiatry and allied sciences in all their different branches (b)to improve people’s mental health and related education and (c)to prevent, control, treat all psychiatric disabilities.
5. Model code of Conduct(MCC) are the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India for conduct of political parties and candidates during elections mainly with respect to (a)speeches (b)polling day (c)polling booths (d)election manifestos (e)processions and (f)general conduct. The MCC comes into force immediately on the announcement of the election schedule by the commission. The Code remains in force till the end of the electoral process.
6. Model Code of Conduct(MCC) has no statutory backing. It means that anybody breaching the MCC can’t be proceeded against under any clause of the Code. Everything is voluntary. The EC uses moral sanction or censure for its enforcement.