Election schedule for Khadoor Sahib by-poll announced

Wednesday, 20/01/2016

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Chandigarh : The Election Commission of India has announced the election schedule for by-election from 24-Khadoor Sahib Assembly Constituency on January 12.

Stating this here on Tuesday, the Chief Electoral Officer V K Singh said that the notification regarding this would be issued on Wednesday ie on January 20, while the last date for making nominations has been fixed for January 28 (Thursday) and the last date for withdrawal of candidature would be January 30, said Singh. He further said that votes would be polled on February 13 while the counting of votes would be started on February 16 and the result would be declared on February 18.

According to the ECI guidelines, the votes would be polled from 8 am to 5 pm. Nomination papers are to be filed with the Sub Divisional Magistrate, Khadoor Sahib who is the Returning Officer for 24-Khadoor Assembly Constituency, between the hours of 11 am and 3 pm on any day other than a public holiday from January 20 to 27.

Issuing the guidelines for filing the nominations, Singh said that the nominations papers are to be filed in form 2B Blank forms are available with the District Election Officer/Returning Officer. Typed nomination papers will also be accepted provided they are in the prescribed format.

The Model Code of Conduct has come into force in the District Tarn Taran from the date of announcement of elections ie January 12 by the Election Commission of India and shall remain in force till the completion of the election process.

In order to qualify for an Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) seat, a candidate should be registered as an elector for any Assembly Constituency in that state. To satisfy the concerned Returning Officer on this point, candidates should produce a certified copy of the relevant entry of the electoral roll in force. A certificate is also required to make and subscribe to an oath or affirmation in the prescribed form before the concerned Returning Officer or any other person so authorised by the Election Commission of India. The oath/affirmation should taken/made by a candidate after his nomination paper has been filed and before the date fixed for the scrutiny of nominations. He also said that January 23 being a Saturday is not a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881; therefore, nomination papers can be presented to the Returning Officer on that day. January 24 being a Sunday is a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881; therefore, nomination papers cannot be presented to the Returning Officer on that day.

January 26 being a Republic Day is a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881; therefore, nomination papers cannot be made on that day. January 30 being a Saturday is not a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881; therefore, withdrawal of candidature can be presented to the Returning Officer on that day.

Partial modification in instructions for enforcement of model code

Chandigarh : The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the by-election for the Khadoor Sahib Assembly constituency slated on February 13 and also announced the enforcement of Model Code of Conduct in district Tarn Taran.

However, after taking into consideration all the relevant facts regarding the enforcement of Model Code of Conduct in the entire district during the by-election in just one constituency, the Election Commission of India has made partial modification in the earlier instructions with regard to Model Code of Conduct.

All the instructions of the Commission issued regulating the implementation of schemes of MGNREGA, extending relief and starting works in case of Natural Calamities, Drought, Flood, Drinking Water, Digging of Bore-wells, Fodder, Agricultural inputs and input subsidies to farmers, New Developmental work (whether beneficiary or work oriented) including work under MPLAD, MLA and MLC LAD scheme, Announcement and commencement of New Projects, Programme, Concessions, Financial Grants, Defacement of Property, Use of Government Property for Campaign purpose etc shall now be applicable only in respect of the areas falling in the Assembly/Parliamentary Constituency (s) going for by-election and not to the entire district in which such constituency is situated.

Similarly, ban on transfers of officers (except the District Election Officer, Returning Officer, Assistant Returning Officer, and District Superintendent of Police and other officers directly concerned with the conduct of election) under the Model Code of Conduct shall be applicable only in the areas falling in the Assembly/ Parliamentary Constituency going for the bye-election and not in the entire district in which the constituency is situated.

However, all other existing instructions of the commission on Model code of conduct on matters like Tours of Ministers, Vehicles, Advertisements, use of Government Guest Houses and all other prevailing instructions of the Commission shall continue to remain applicable to the entire district in which the constituency in which the bye- election is to be held.

Moreover, the Commission has decided to use EVMs in the bye-election in all the polling stations of the constituency. Adequate number of EVMs would be made available to conduct polls smoothly with the help of these machines.

Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) shall be the main document of identification. However, separate instructions would be issued pertaining to other documents that can be used for identification.

As far as release of funds under MPLAD Scheme, Commission has decided that no release of funds under this scheme (including the Rajya Sabha member) can be made in the constituency where election has to take place, until the completion of the election process. No new works to start in such an area, however the ongoing works may continue and there will be no bar on releasing payments for the works completed.