Poll code does not apply to matters related to armed forces:EC

The Model Code of Conduct is not applicable to any matter relating "directly" to the armed forces, including promotion, recruitment or purchase, the Election Commission ruled today, days after Defence Minister A K Antony referred to it the appointment of new Navy Chief.
This order shall be treated as standing instructions of the Commission and will be "applicable for all elections in future", the EC said.
"The Model Code of Conduct is not applicable to any matter pertaining directly to the defence forces, be it the recruitments/promotions for defence forces, all service matters pertaining to them, defence purchases of all kinds, tenders relating to the matter of the defence forces and consequently no reference need be sent to the Commission pertaining to model code in these matters," the EC said.

The poll body's instructions came in response to a request by the Defence Ministry for permission for routine procurement of 6400 MT of edible oil for the troops and routine procurement of the already approved quantities of scaled ration items for personnel for this year and for next year.
The new order assumes significance as the Defence Minister recently approached the EC for approving the process of appointing Chief of Naval Staff to succeed Admiral D K Joshi who quit last month on moral grounds in the wake of a spate of mishaps involving Navy assets.
The Defence Minister's request to the EC on Naval chief's appointment was seen by some as a step that contributed to the delay in appointing the force's head.