Chief Electoral Officer of MP VL Kantha Rao here on Monday said that Chhindwara parliamentary constituency is among sensitive pockets in terms of election expenditure during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
While talking to media persons about election preparations, Rao said that in the category of sensitive pockets for election expenditure, the election commission has listed two Lok Sabha constituency– Chhindwara and Indore, 29 assembly constituencies and 189 other regions.
The sensitivity of these areas is ascertained on the basis of literacy, economic growth or past complaints, said Rao claiming the commission would keep a vigil on these areas 24x7 in the last three days ahead of polling. In these sensitive areas, four expenses observers are appointed to keep check on election expenses.
To add, Indore is the commercial capital of MP while Chief Minister Kamal Nath is in the fray for assembly by-poll and his son Nakul in a Lok Sabha poll contender from Chhindwara. April 9 is the last day of nomination for the six seats in first phase of polls in MP, said Rao.
The CEO MP however claimed that his office was informed about the IT raids in Madhya Pradesh at around 8am on Sunday. The raids on CM Kamal Nath’s close associates had started by 3am the same day.
“The IT Dept nodal officer has informed us that their team from Delhi office has been carrying out the raid,” said Rao adding they would share the findings once they receive the detailed report of the IT action.
The officer however claimed that notification for the second phase of the polls in MP would be issued on April 10.
The CEO MP refuted social media reports in which it was claimed that anyone who reaches the polling booth and could not find his/her name in voter list could still exercise franchise through challenge vote by producing the voter ID card. “If your name is missing from voters list, you can’t cast your vote,” added the officer urging people to get their names enlisted into the voters’ lists through various means available.
In all, 56 nominations have been received for six Los Sabha seats going to polls in first phase including eight nominations received in Chhindwara while for Chhindwara assembly by-poll, nine nominations have been received, the commission said.
Besides Chhindwara, Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla and Balaghat Lok Sabha seats are going to polls on April 29. The commission also released the list of 198 poll symbols including seven for nationally recognised political parties.