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| Guv led JK govt announces schedule for municipal poll | | Four phase poll to be held between October 8 and 16 | | Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
srinagar, Sept 15: Governor Satya Pal Malik led Jammu & Kashmir government today announced the election schedule for Urban Local Bodies in the state. The elections would commence on October 8 and end on October 16.
The election schedule was announced in a press conference addressed by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Jammu & Kashmir, Shaleen Kabra. Kabra said that elections to two Municipal Corporations, three Municipal Councils and 72 Municipal Committees shall be held in four phases.
Elections to the municipal bodies in the state are being held after a gap of 13 years. Last time the elections were held in 2005 and their five year term expired in 2010.
The CEO said with announcement of poll schedule, Model Code of Conduct shall come into force with immediate effect and the same shall apply in all Municipal Bodies going to polls as also for the candidates, the political parties and the government.
"The elections will be held through EVMs and suitable number of polling stations has been notified for each ward of the Municipal Corporations/ Councils/ Committees. General Observers shall be deployed, one for each municipal body, to ensure free and fair elections. The observers will be asked to keep a close watch on every stage of the electoral process," said Kabra.
The CEO said that notifications with regard to reservation of wards for scheduled caste, scheduled tribes and women have already been issued as per provisions of Act and Rules governing municipal elections.
"Out of 1145 wards, 90 wards have been reserved for scheduled castes and 38 wards have been reserved for scheduled tribes. It includes 31 and 13 wards reserved for SC and ST women respectively. 322 wards have been reserved for women belonging to open category," said Kabra.
The CEO said that in order to facilitate the Kashmiri migrants, a scheme to enable them to vote through postal ballot is being provided in the Urban Local Bodies. He said that individual notifications for each phase of polls will be issued on September 18, 20, 22 and 24 respectively.
"Last date for filing nominations for the four phases will be September 25th, 27th, 29th September and 1st October respectively. Date of scrutiny of nominations will be September 26th, 28th, October 1st and 3rd respectively and the last date for withdrawal of nominations will be September 28, October 1, 3 and 5 respectively," said Kabra.
The CEO said that polling will be held on October 8, 10, 13 and 16 with the counting of votes to be taken up on October 20. He said the polling hours will be from 7:00 am to 2:00 pmand the process of election will complete on October 27.
"Comprehensive instructions for effective monitoring of the election expenditure of the candidates have already been issued. For greater transparency and for ease of monitoring of election expenses, candidates would be required to open a separate bank account and incur their election expenses from that very account. Expenditure observers are being appointed to keep close watch on election expenditure of the candidates," said Kabra.
The CEO said that expenditure limits have been fixed through notification dated 29-08-2018 for different categories of candidates which includes Rs 1.50 lakh for election to Municipal Corporation, Rs 1 lakh for election to Municipal Council and Rs 50,000 for election to Municipal Committee.
Kabra said that Control Room and Complaint Monitoring Centre shall be operative during the entire election process. He said that all critical events will be video-graphed and concerned Deputy Commissioners will arrange sufficient number of video and digital cameras and camera teams for the purpose. |
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