Haryana Election Commission has started a single window system at all district headquarters to assist the candidates who have filed their nomination papers for the lok Sabha elections 2014.
Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Shrikant Walgad said that the single window system would help candidates in getting requisite permission for holding rallies and public meetings. The elections for 10 lok Sabha constituencies of the State would be held on April 10. This facility would be available in the office of the Returning Officer (RO) at the concerned District HQ.
Walgad said that earlier, the candidates contesting elections had to seek permission of police, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Public Works Department etc regarding holding rallies and public meetings through the RO. But now, instead of RO, they could take permission through Single Window System, he added.
He said that the process of filing nomination has been closed and the security of nomination was in progress. He said that the last date of withdrawal of candidature is March 26 and thereafter the list of contesting candidates would be finalised.
The Chief Electoral Officer said that the candidates of the political parties were required to take prior permission for organising rallies and public meetings and in case they did not take such permission it would be considered as violation of Model Code of Conduct. Similarly, it was also necessary for the political parties to take permission for the helicopter landing during the campaigning and landing without pre-permission would be treated as violation of Model Code of Conduct, he added.
Walgad said that after filling the nomination by the contesting candidates, they are given a booklet to maintain details of their election expenditure. In case, they would not give details of the election expenditure, notices would be served on them. He said that various rallies and meeting organised by the political parties during the elections would be monitored by the Election department through flying squad and videography team.
He said that the political parties would have to furnish the details of the accounts opened at social media to the district level Media Certification Committee. He added that in case they have any confusion at district level, they could get it redressed through the District Election Office.
Walgad said that 10 general observers and expenditure observers each have reached to RO headquarter in all the ten parliamentary constituencies. These observers would keep a vigil on the expenditure of candidates and election process.
He said that to further expand the vote awareness campaign, Systematic Voters Education Campaign Programme has been launched in all districts of the State. Under this campaign, informative material would be displayed on about 300 buses of Haryana Roadways to create mass awakening among the voters. He urged the voters, especially youth and female to exercise their franchise on April 10, the day on which polling was held in Haryana for 10 lok Sabha seats.
Walgad also launched an audio-video CD to generate awareness among the voters and to encourage them to caste vote. He said that this CD would also be made available to all the deputy commissioners in the State so that the same could be run on the local cable TV network and other local news channels.