Elections to be held in 5 phases in Jammu and Kashmir
Srinagar: Starting from April 10, Jammu and Kashmir will go for Parliament elections in five phases. However, the Parliament elections in India will commence on April 7. With the announcement of the election schedule, code of conduct has come into effect.
The schedule was announced by Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath along with Election Commissioners H S Brahma and Dr Nasim Zaidi at a press conference held at Vigyan Bhavan in the New Delhi. The election to Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir will be held from April 10 to May 7. These elections will be held in five phases in the State. In the first phase, the elections will be held be for Jammu on April 10, Udhampur April 17, Anantnag April 24, Srinagar April 30, Baramulla, Ladakh on May 7.
With the announcement of five phase polling for the Lok Sabha in Jammu and Kashmir, the model code of conduct for political parties and governments has come into effect. According to Election Commission, it comes into effect immediately. Political parties and governments cannot announce any major policy or sops for the people. Similarly no government can order posting, transfers , appointments or promotions of officials during this period. However, transfers can be ordered in the interest of administration but only after the due clearance by Election Commission.
According to Election Commission of India the people who don’t have their names on the rolls can go and seek enrollment on March 9 ( Sunday), when booth level officers will be sitting with the electoral rolls.
Sampath said that the EC had taken into consideration factors like examination schedules and weather conditions. On the security measures being implemented by the EC, Sampath said, “To ensure free and fair elections we have taken particular care to ensure that people living in vulnerable areas and vulnerable voters are in continuous touch with the election machinery to ensure that they are able to vote uninterpreted by anyone.”
“Adequate number of observers in different categories will be deployed during the forthcoming elections,” he added.
On the neutrality of officials engaged in conduct of elections, Sampath said the EC expects them to discharge their duty without fear or favour.
“Strict action will be taken against officials who are found wanting in any aspect,” the CEC said.
With regards to the steps being taken to curb use of money power in the elections, he said, “The Election Commission has mounted a series of measures for monitoring expenditure; special emphasis is given to check flow of money during elections.”
“Besides expenditure observers, sufficient number of flying squads will be employed to check use of money power,” he added.
An important feature of the polls would be the introduction of paper trail system for electronic voting in some constituencies on a trial basis.
Also, the EC has issued guidelines to political parties asking them to explain the rationale of financing the promises they make in their election manifestos. The guidelines that followed Supreme Court directions in this regard have now been made part of the Model Code.
Another first in the Lok Sabha elections will be the introduction of “None of the Above” (NOTA) option in voting, which came into vogue in the assembly elections a few months ago.
From the coming elections, candidates in a parliamentary constituency in bigger states can spend up to Rs 70 lakh on their campaign, up from Rs 40 lakh in 2011. In the 2009 elections, it was Rs 25 lakh. (CNS)
