JOIN USMLC polls: Parties cautioned against inflammatory speeches
With the election to the Legislative Council from Mysuru-Chamarajanagar local bodies constituency scheduled for December 27, Deputy Commissioner C Shikha, also the returning officer, on Tuesday cautioned political parties against indulging in inflammatory announcements, speeches and promises.
Presiding over a meeting of representatives from various political parties, convened at her office, the deputy commissioner warned the leaders against organising any programmes at government expense or launching any programmes.
“The candidates should avail permission from the authorities concerned before erecting publicity materials like cutouts and banners, pasting of posters and distribution of pamphlets. The publicity materials should also be free of allurements and promises to the voters,” she said.
To ensure a free and fair polling, a presiding officer will be deputed at each booth, assisted by a polling officer. Micro-observers drawn from the Central government will be deployed at select booths.
To identify the voters, local officers or staff will be deployed at the booths. The voters should mark their first three preferential votes — either in numericals (1, 2, 3) or in roman numbers (I, II, III). Only purple colour sketch pen should be used to mark the preferential votes and writing it in words is prohibited.
Unlike other elections, indelible ink will not be applied on voters’ fingers, while the ballot papers will be printed on pink sheets. To educate the voters, the candidates are permitted to print dummy ballot papers, sans names of rival candidates.
Both the names and photographs of the candidates will be printed on the ballot, along with a NOTA option.
Following the directions from the Election Commission, the ballot paper will be separated with black stickers before issuing them to voters.
In case of visually-challenged voters, weak and illiterates, he or she is allowed to be accompanied by another person to the booth. Prior permission from the returning officer in this regard is a must.
Norms for nomination
As per norms, only five persons, including the candidate and a proposer can accompany him or her to the office of the returning officer to file the nomination papers. Only three vehicles related to the candidate are allowed within 100 metres radius of the office of the election officer.
A team headed by Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer with assistant commissioners of Mysuru and Hunsur sub-divisions as members has been formed to monitor the code of conduct. The code of conduct will be in place up to January 1, 2016.
Cellphones not allowed
The voters are not allowed to carry their cellphones, pen and pencils to poll booths.
The aspiring candidates should be a voter in any Legislative Assembly constituency in the State and should produce a certificate from the registrar or assistant registrar about it.
The nomination papers should bear the signature of at least 10 voters of the respective constituency as proposers.
The candidates belonging to general category should deposit Rs 10,000, while for SC/ST candidates it is Rs 5,000. The SC/ST candidates should produce caste certificate.
The candidates can obtain the format of nomination paper (form 2(e) and form 26) and revised affidavit from the office of the returning officer.