The process of filing of nomination papers for April 30 elections to 13 lok Sabha seats in Punjab will commence from Wednesday with the issuance of notification.
The filing of nominations will continue till April 9, scrutiny will take place the next day and withdrawal will take place till April 12 when the final picture of contestants will be known.
The filing of nominations would take place between 11 am and 3 pm before the respective Returning Officers of the 13 lok Sabha constituencies, the State Additional Chief Electoral Officer Supreet Singh Gulati said, adding that there would be no nominations on April 6 and 8 being public holidays.
He said that nomination papers were to be filed in Form 2-A and blank forms were available with District Election Officers or Returning Officers. Typed nomination paper would also be accepted provided they were in prescribed format.
At the time of nomination, only five persons could accompany the candidate in the office of Returning Officer and candidate can’t take more than three vehicles in the 100 meter radius of the said office, he added.
Gulati said that all contesting candidates would have to deposit security amount of Rs25,000. Half the amount (Rs12,500) will have to be deposited by the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes candidates (even in general constituencies).
Cong complains to ECI for removal of SAD-BJP hoardings
Punjab Congress on Tuesday moved the Election Commission seeking immediate removal of SAD-BJP hoardings or advertisements carrying pictures of ‘108 Ambulances’ with photographs of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in a “gross violation of Model Code of Conduct”.
In a complaint filed through party’s Election Committee (legal) chairman Surjit Singh Swaich, the Congress brought into the notice of the poll panel that the ruling alliance has put up big hoardings or advertisements all over the State with pictures of 108
Ambulances with Badal’s pictures appealing the voters to vote for SAD-BJP ruling alliance candidates in the upcoming election.
It pointed that the Commission has already issued directions to cover or remove the pictures from 108 ambulances running across the State.
MOCK POll on evms at all POllING BOOTHs IN PRESENCE OF POllING AGENTS
Additional CEO said that the ECI has directed to conduct mock poll on EVMs at all polling booths at 6 am on polling day in the presence of polling agents representing candidates.
He said that every Presiding Officer has been directed to poll 50 votes including votes to None Of The Above (NOTA) and delete such polled votes before again sealing the EVMs and further issuing mock poll certificate.
VVPAT PIlOT PROJECT FOR 400 POll BOOTHS
Additional CEO informed that first time, a pilot project VVPAT was being introduced on 400 polling booths in Punjab where a voter would be able to confirm his or her cast vote as the name of candidate along with symbol would flash for five seconds on slip popped on the instrument.
A voter would not be able to take that slip as it was just to show him the status of his or her cast vote.
District Election Mgmt Plan for PATIAlA CONSTITUENCY
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh along with Additional CEO Raminder Singh on Tuesday released a comprehensive District Election Management
Plan (DEM) of Patiala Parliamentary constituency.
Appreciating the efforts of District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner GK Singh for compiling this complete document, Singh expressed confidence that it would help administration in conducting elections effectively in free, fair and peaceful manner.