FOLLOW THE MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT AND COVID-19 GUIDELINES : CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER

Team Absolute|Bhopal Chief Electoral Officer Veera Rana said that with the announcement of assembly byelection dates in Madhya Pradesh, the Model Code of Conduct has become effective. All the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct will be applicable to the respective districts / assembly constituencies and political parties, their candidates and the government. The Model Code of Conduct will be effective only in the constituencies where there are municipal corporations in 7 districts Gwalior, Morena, Sagar, Indore, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Dewas. In the remaining 12 districts Anuppur, Chhatarpur, Raisen, Mandsaur, Guna, Ashoknagar, Shivpuri, Bhind, Datia, Dhar, Agar-Malwa and Rajgarh, the Model Code of Conduct will remain in effect. Violation of these guidelines will take strict action. A meeting of recognized political parties was held in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer for the by-elections in 28 assembly constituencies of the state. In the meeting, Chief Electoral Officer Smt. Veera Rana, while giving information about the schedule of the by-elections 2020, said that the notification of the by-election will be published on 9 October. The last date for submission of nomination papers is October 16. The nomination papers will be scrutinized on October 17. The nomination papers will return on October 19. Voting will be held on November 3 and counting of votes on November 10.The Chief Electoral Officer said that in the Vidhan Sabha by-election, polling will be held at 9361 polling stations, including 1441 auxiliary polling centers. Booths with more than one thousand voters have been made auxiliary polling centers, which are usually located in the premises of the original polling center. Mandatory minimum facilities are provided at every polling station. There are a total of 63 lakh 69 thousand 830 voters in 28 assembly constituencies in the Vidhan Sabha by-election 2020, in which 33 lakh 73 thousand 70 male voters, 29 lakh 77 thousand 808 female voters and 198 third gender voters are registered. There are 18 thousand 754 service voters, of which 18 thousand 378 are male and 376 are female voters.It was informed at the meeting that the last date for receipt of Forms 6,7,8, and 8A has been set as October 6, 2020. The last date for disposal of these forms is 13 October. Voter list will be printed by October 16 and voter slip will be distributed from October 23 to October 28, 2020. In the Vidhan Sabha by-election, the Commission has increased the number of EVMs from 120 percent to 140 percent and the number of whippets from 130 percent to 150 percent as per the criteria of Kovid-19 in voting. A total of 24 thousand 3 ballot units will be used in the by-election, in which 9 thousand 361 will be used for voting and 13 thousand 706 machines have been reserved and 936 machines will be used for training and awareness. Similarly, a total of 23 thousand 558 control units will be used, in which 9 thousand 361 machines will be used for voting and 13 thousand 261 machines have been reserved and 936 control units will be used for training and awareness. With this, a total of 23 thousand 53 whippets will be used, out of which 9 thousand 361 will be used for voting and 12 thousand 756 have been reserved and 936 whippets will be used for training and awareness.The Chief Electoral Officer said that about 56 thousand polling personnel have been appointed to complete the polling. Adequate number of vehicles have been provided for movement of polling parties under the guidelines of Kovid-19. Third randomization of polling parties has been done in place of 24 hours in compliance with the instructions of Kovid-19 72 hours earlier.All the recognized political parties were expected in the meeting to ensure that the guidelines issued by the Commission regarding Kovid-19 are ensured. For submission of nomination, limit the number to only two persons with the prescribed number of candidates and for the purpose of enrollment, limit the number of vehicles to two. In respect of the information of the candidates whose criminal cases are registered, be sure to follow the instructions of the Commission. During house-to-house campaign, limit the number to only 5 persons including the candidate. Limit the convoy of vehicles to 5 vehicles (excluding safety vehicles) at road shows.

NEW INITIATIVE FOR DIFFERENTLY-ABLED AND OLD VOTERS

New initiatives have been taken this time for the differently-abled and voters above 80 years of age in the Vidhan Sabha by-elections. Through the postal ballot, senior citizens who are more than 80 years of age, the disabled persons identified in the voter list and those affected or suspected by Kovid-19 will be provided facility. The voter desirous of voting by postal ballot has to apply to the Returning Officer of the constituency concerned in Form-12D, giving all the required details. This process of conducting the ballot from the postal ballot will be completed by the day before the polling day.