E-Paper
Model Code of Conduct to be strictly enforced, says Ludhiana election officer
Ludhiana DC Varinder Kumar Sharma on Saturday said the district administration would ensure strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct and separate committees had been constituted at the district level as well as assembly constituency level, including media certification and expenditure monitoring committees, accounting and static surveillance teams among others for elections
Deputy commissioner-cum-district election officer Varinder Kumar Sharma on Saturday said the district administration would ensure strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) to ensure free, fair, transparent and peaceful execution of the assembly elections.
Highlighting the Covid situation, the district election officer said the administration would categorically ensure the prohibitions and limitations imposed by the Elections Commission of India (ECI), adding that any violation of the Model Code of Conduct would invite stern action.
He further said separate committees had been constituted at the district level as well as assembly constituency level, including media certification and expenditure monitoring committees, video viewing, vehicle management, accounting and static surveillance teams among others to ensure strict implementation of the Model Code of Conduct.
The district election officer also directed officials to immediately remove all political hoardings, posters and banners from roads, electricity and telephone poles, trees, government buildings and other places, while setting a deadline of 48 hours for the removal of political slogans or pictures on local-level official websites.
In addition to that, he ordered officials to personally check all the nakas being held in corresponding areas to ensure checks on illicit means to lure voters including liquor, drugs and money.
He also asked the Returning Officers (ROs) to visit every polling booth over the next few days to ensure all the facilities, including mandatory sanitisation, thermal scanner, masking, earmarking of social distancing circles in queues, use of gloves, shaded waiting areas, drinking water, toilets, ramps, wheelchairs and others are available.
The Election Commission introduced the cVigil app for effective implementation of the Model Code of Conduct as per which every election-related complaint will be addressed within 100 minutes, ensuring prompt action against every complaint.
The public can also lodge their complaints regarding Model Code of Conduct violations at the toll-free number 1950.
The Election Commission of India has set an expenditure limit of ₹40 lakh for every candidate for the ensuing elections.
The district election officer said the notification of election would be issued on January 21, and nominations can be filed for the 14 assembly constituencies of district Ludhiana until January 28.
The scrutiny of nomination papers would be held on January 29 and withdrawal of nomination can be done until January 31. He added that voting would be held on February 14, while the counting of the votes would be done on March 10.
