Civic polls on Dec 17,conduct code in force

State Election Commissioner Rakesh Mehta announced today that polling for the Municipal Corporation would be held on December 17 and the code of conduct comes into force with immediate effect.

State Election Commissioner (SEC) Rakesh Mehta announced today that polling for the Municipal Corporation would be held on December 17 and the code of conduct comes into force with immediate effect. The dates for filing of nominations and counting of votes would be announced in the coming days.

The aim would be to encourage the maximum number of residents,especially youngsters,to come out and vote. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would be used, added Mehta. He informed that no official of the Municipal Corporation has been put on election duty.

There would be around 4.75 lakh voters and 450 polling stations. The final list of polling stations would be published in the third week of November.

The maximum expenditure for each candidate has been fixed at Rs 1.75 lakh. The expenditure allowed last time was Rs 1 lakh.

As many as seven returning officers have been appointed who would be in charge of the 26 wards. Nomination forms will be available with the returning officers and can be obtained by prospective candidates.

Every candidate would be required to deposit Rs 3,000 as security deposit for a ward. Schedule caste candidates would be required to deposit Rs 1,500.

There will be four counting centres – Government Senior Secondary School,Sector 10; Government College for Education,Sector 20; Post-Graduate Government College for Girls,Sector 11,and Postgraduate Government College,Sector 11. The draw of lots for reservation of wards was held earlier and wards 1,4,7,9,14,21 and 23 are reserved for women.

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Wards 12,13,19,20 and 24 are reserved for schedule caste candidates of which wards 12 and 24 are reserved for women. The remaining wards are general wards.

With the code of conduct in place,there is a complete ban on transfer and postings of all officials connected with the elections. The ban would be in force till the end of the poll process.

No official vehicle can be used for electioneering and no new projects can be started. No advertisements can be given at the cost of the public exchequer.

Voters cannot be given inducements and appeals to caste and communal feelings cannot be made during campaigns. Religious places cannot be used for election campaigning.

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Any of these would amount to violations of the model code of conduct.

Mayor starts project 30 minutes before dates announced

In a tearing hurry to have a project to his credit,Mayor Ravinder Pal Singh along with some officials and councillors got work started at an overbridge in Sector 17 half an hour before the code of conduct came into place.

While the date of election was announced at 11.30,work at the overbridge was started at 11 am to skirt the imposition of the code of conduct.

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