Election Commission has issued fresh guidelines against making malicious statements about the personal life of individuals. It said, no statements should be made that may be malicious or offending the decency and moralilty. The Commission said, those who do this will not be allowed to hold programmes during polls. The new guidelines comes in the backdrop of a row over yoga guru Ramdev's honeymoon remark against Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. The poll panel also cautioned that religion should not be invoked as it may create disharmony among people.

The chief electoral officers in states have been directed that those who violate the latest guidelines should not be allowed to hold programmes during the period of elections. The EC directives referred to complaints being received that certain organisations are using their programmes for electioneering.