E-Paper
After scrutiny, valid candidates in Chandigarh down to 20
The department rejected the candidature of four independent candidates, including Rajesh, Prem Pal, Amit Sharma and Satnam Singh, and Navtej Singh from Peoples Party of India (Democratic)
A day after nominations for the lone Lok Sabha seat from Chandigarh ended with a total of 27 candidates entering the fray, the election department on Wednesday rejected the candidature of seven candidates, including two covering candidates, bringing the number of valid candidates down to 20.
While scrutinising the nominations papers, the department rejected the candidature of four independent candidates, including Rajesh, Prem Pal, Amit Sharma and Satnam Singh, and Navtej Singh from Peoples Party of India (Democratic).
The candidature of covering candidates of the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) were rejected automatically when the nominations of parties’ main candidates — Manish Tewari (Congress) and Ritu Singh (BSP) — were approved by the department.
The scrutiny of these nominations was conducted by Vinay Pratap Singh, returning officer-cum-deputy commissioner, Chandigarh.
To ensure accountability and transparency, candidates or their representatives can review the security arrangements of the strong room where the electronic voting machines (EVMs) are stored.
Additionally, a facilitation meeting is scheduled on May 16, in the presence of the expenditure observer, which aims to brief all candidates and their agents or representatives regarding the maintenance of election accounts and other necessary formalities.
The candidates can withdraw their nominations by 3 pm on May 17. This will be followed by allocation of election symbols on the same day at the office of the returning officer.
Chandigarh’s voter count up by 7%
With the election department closing the registration of new voters, the total number of voters enrolled in Chandigarh now stands at 6,59,805, which is an increase of 7% from the total voters in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. As many as 12,514 new voters registered in the city since implementation of the model code of conduct on March 16.
Of the total voters, 3,41,544 are males, 3,18,226 are females and 35 are transgenders. The number of first-time voters, aged 18 and 19, has also risen from 12,094 to 17,977 since the last elections.Also, 4,698 voters are above the age of 85, while the number of disabled voters stands at 3,816, who will be offered the vote-from-home facility.
