Purdah Book

[Keri Gamrath]

Thename has been criticised for its connection to the "sexist" practice of purdah,[2][3] and various public bodies and departments have dropped it in favour of terms like "pre-election period" and "heightened sensitivity".[4][5][6][7]

The word purdah is Hindustani in origin and literally refers to a curtain or veil. Purdahs were traditionally used to screen women from male view, and the word came to be a general term for the South Asian practices of segregating the sexes and keeping women's bodies concealed.[8][9][10][11][12][13] In English use, the word has the extended sense of "a period of seclusion or isolation", hence its use in politics.[14]

The purdah period typically begins six weeks before the scheduled election, in each authority on the day the notice of election is published; for the 2017 elections to Combined Authority Mayors, purdah began on 23 March. For the 8 June 2017 general election, purdah began on 22 April,[15] and for the 12 December 2019 general election, purdah commenced on 6 November. For the 4 July 2024 general election, purdah began on 25 May.[16]

Purdah has been imposed in ministerial guidance since at least the early 20th century reflecting an earlier "self-denying ordinance", and has considerable moral authority, its breach carrying with it in worst cases the possibility of actions for abuse of power and misconduct in public office. Otherwise its lack of statute or common law means different local authorities adopt different standards as to the extent to which they observe the convention,[17] and executives are always mindful of the possibility of decisions being open to judicial review on the grounds of legitimate expectations, breach of natural justice, or procedural impropriety if purdah is breached. Where observed by executive officers, purdah bars entering into any transactions or carrying out any works which would clearly or directly conflict with the stated intentional commitments (manifesto) of the cabinet or shadow cabinet in any authority. When local elections are being held at the same time as a general election, this higher standard is usually applied.[18]

At the national level, major decisions on policy are postponed until after purdah, unless it is in the national interest to proceed, or a delay would waste public money. The Cabinet Office issues guidance before each election to civil servants, including those in the devolved national parliaments and assemblies.[1] The period also continues after the election during the time in which new MPs and ministers are sworn in. In the event of an inconclusive election result, purdah does not end until a new government forms. When no party has an overall majority, it may take some time before a minority or coalition government is formed.[citation needed]

Section 2 of the Local Government Act 1986 prohibits the publication by local authorities of material which, in whole or in part, appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party.

For local elections in England and Wales, the activities of local authorities in purdah are governed by the Recommended code of practice for local authority publicity, Circular 01/2011, issued as part of the provisions of the Local Government Act 1986. Section 39 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 inserted sections 4A and 4B into the Local Government Act 1986 which provide powers for the Secretary of State to issue a notice to comply or explain, followed after non-compliance, by a direction; and to issue a more general Order if approved by Parliament across multiple authorities to comply in some respects with provisions of the recommendatory, good practice, code. The code mentions at the outset that it in no way detracts from the section 2 offence of the Act.[1][19]

34. During the period between the notice of an election and the election itself, local authorities should not publish any publicity on controversial issues or report views or proposals in such a way that identifies them with any individual members or groups of members. Publicity relating to individuals involved directly in the election should not be published by local authorities during this period unless expressly authorised by or under statute. It is permissible for local authorities to publish factual information which identifies the names, wards and parties of candidates at elections.

35. In general, local authorities should not issue any publicity which seeks to influence voters. However this general principle is subject to any statutory provision which authorises expenditure being incurred on the publication of material designed to influence the public as to whether to support or oppose a question put at a referendum. It is acceptable to publish material relating to the subject matter of a referendum, for example to correct any factual inaccuracies which have appeared in publicity produced by third parties, so long as this is even-handed and objective and does not support or oppose any of the options which are the subject of the vote.

Although NHS staff are not generally regarded as civil servants, purdah is increasingly enforced on NHS bodies.[20] In 2017 it was decided that the financial result of the NHS provider sector, normally published in May each year, should be postponed until after the General Election.[21] This was controversial, and was seen by many[who?] as an attempt by the government of the day to gag NHS bodies from publishing information it saw as a threat to its general election campaign.[22]

In the 2012 referendum on elected mayors for the core cities of Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, and Wakefield an extra purdah restriction was introduced, namely that from 6 April councils were not able to promote in an opinionated manner the referendum by publishing articles or issuing press releases. However, public information in the form of questions and answers was still permitted to be on the council's website, and press officers were able to respond to enquiries from the media.[23]

In the 2010 United Kingdom general election, specific guidance was issued to executive departments about their use of social media, as opposed to that of political representatives, for example "Use of Twitter may continue for publishing factual information only in line with guidance on news media".[24][25]

Pardah or purdah (from Hindi-Urdu پردہ, पर्द, meaning "curtain") is a religious and social practice of gender partition prevalent among some Muslim and Hindu communities.[1][2][3][4][5] It takes two forms: social partition of the sexes and the requirement that women cover their bodies so as to cover their skin and conceal their form. A woman who practices purdah can be referred to as pardanashin or purdahnishan. The term purdah is also used to describe related practices, such as the pre-election period of sensitivity occurring in the weeks leading up to a general election or referendum.[6]

Practices that restricted women's mobility and behavior existed among religious groups in India since ancient times and intensified with the arrival of Islam.[7] By the 19th century, purdah became customary among Hindu elites.[7] Purdah was not traditionally observed by lower-class women.[8]

Physical segregation within buildings is achieved with judicious use of walls, curtains, and screens. A woman's withdrawal into purdah usually restricts her personal, social and economic activities outside her home. The usual purdah garment worn is a burqa, which may or may not include a yashmak, a veil to conceal the face. The eyes may or may not be exposed.

Married Hindu women in parts of Northern India observe purdah, with some women wearing a ghoonghat in the presence of older male relations on their husbands' side;[9] Muslim women observe purdah through the wearing of a burqa.[10]

Purdah has been rigorously observed under the Taliban in Afghanistan, where women are forced to observe complete purdah at all times while in public. Only close male family members and other women are allowed to see them out of purdah. In other societies, purdah is often only practised during certain times of religious significance.

In ancient Indian society, "practices that restricted women's social mobility and behavior" existed but the arrival of Islam in India "intensified these Hindu practices, and by the 19th century purdah was the customary practice of high-caste Hindu and elite communities throughout India."[7]

Although purdah is commonly associated with Islam, many scholars argue that veiling and secluding women pre-dates Islam; these practices were commonly found among various groups in the Middle East such as Druze, Christian, and Jewish communities.[14] For instance, the burqa existed in Arabia before Islam, and the mobility of upper-class women was restricted in Babylonia, Persian, and Byzantine Empires before the advent of Islam.[15] Historians believe purdah was acquired by the Muslims during the expansion of the Arab Empire into modern-day Iraq in the 7th century C.E and that Islam merely added religious significance to already existing local practices of the times.[16]

Muslim rule of northern India during the Mughal Empire influenced the practice of Hinduism, and the purdah spread to the Hindu upper classes of northern India.[16] The spread of purdah outside of the Muslim community can be attributed to the tendency of affluent classes to mirror the societal practices of the nobility; poor women did not observe purdah. Lower-class women in small villages often worked in fields, and therefore could not afford to abandon their work to be secluded.[8] During the British colonial period in India, purdah observance was widespread and strictly adhered to among the Muslim minority.[16]

In modern times, the practice of veiling and secluding women is still present in mainly Islamic countries, communities and South Asian countries.[16] However, the practice is not monolithic. Purdah takes on different forms and significance depending on the region, time, socioeconomic status, and local culture.[17] It is most commonly associated with some Muslim communities in Afghanistan and Pakistan, along with Saudi Arabia.[18] Purdah has been more recently adopted in northern Nigeria, especially in areas affected by the Boko Haram uprising.[19] It is also observed by Rajput clans of India and Pakistan as a social practice regardless of religion.[20]

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