E-Paper
Ensure no fund released under MPLADS till poll code in force, CEO tells DMs
In a letter to the district magistrates/district election officers, the CEO told them to implement the MCC according to the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa on Thursday instructed all the district magistrates to ensure that no new fund was released from the MP Local Area Development Scheme ( MPLADS) or MLA Local Area Development Scheme for development work in any parliamentary or assembly constituency till the model code of conduct (MCC) for the Lok Sabha elections was in force.
In a letter to the district magistrates/district election officers, the CEO told them to implement the MCC according to the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI). On March 16, along with the Lok Sabha election, the Election Commission had also announced by-elections on four assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh including Dadraul (Shahjahanpur), Lucknow East, Gaisari (Balrampur) and Duddhi (Sonbhadra), Rinwa said.
The ECI has issued detailed guidelines regarding the MP and MLA Area Development Fund Scheme after the implementation of the model code of conduct with the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections and by-elections in the states. The poll panel has instructed that new fund will not be released under the Members of Parliament (including Rajya Sabha members) Local Area Development Fund. Similarly, new funds will not be released under the MLA/Legislative Council Member Local Area Development Fund until the election process is completed.
If the work had not started despite the work order being issued for a development work before announcement of the poll schedule by ECI, then the work would start only after the completion of the election process. However, if a development work had started before the implementation of the code of conduct, it would continue, he said.
The guidelines also said that there would be no bar on releasing payment for work that had been completed. However, before the release of payment the officers should be satisfied with the quality of work. In the areas where plans had been sanctioned and funds released, materials been purchased and transported to the site, work could be executed as per schedule, he said.
Photo identity document a must
If a voter does not have Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC) issued by the Election Commission of India, he will have to submit alternative photo identity document to cast vote. .
Chief electoral officer Navdeep Rinwa said to prevent impersonation, the voter would have to present his voter photo identity card to prove his identity at the time of voting. Voters who were unable to produce their voter photo identity card would have to produce one of the 12 alternative photo identity documents to establish their identity. Instructions had been given to all the district election officers in this regard, he said.
The chief electoral officer said Aadhar card, MNREGA job card, passbook with photo issued by banks/post offices, health insurance smart card issued under the scheme of the labour ministry, driving license, PAN card, smart card issued by RGI under NPR, Indian passport, pension documents with photograph, service identity cards with photograph issued by central/state government/PSU/public limited companies to their employees, Government identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/Legislative Council members and Unique Disability ID (UDID) card, ministry of social justice and empowerment, Government of India were alternative photo identity documents.
No nominations
No nominations were filed in the 8 Lok Sabha constituencies on the second day. The ECI issued notification for the poll in eight constituencies - Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit on Wednesday. The last date for filing nomination is March 27 and polling will be held on April 19.
