JALANDHAR
The Jalandhar Administration has made all the necessary arrangements for the smooth and impartial conduct of the by-election for the Jalandhar West Assembly constituency (reserve) on July 10, 2024.
Addressing the media at the District Administrative Complex, District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal and Joint Police Commissioner Sandeep Sharma said that robust civil and security arrangements have been made to ensure a peaceful, fair, and smooth conduct of the bye-election for the Jalandhar West Assembly constituency.
Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal informed that the gazette notification for the Jalandhar West Assembly constituency will be issued on June 14, and the last date for filing nominations is June 21. The scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on June 24, while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is June 26. He further informed that voting for the bye-election will take place on July 10, and the counting of votes will be done on July 13. He also mentioned that the Model Code of Conduct has already come into effect in the Jalandhar West constituency for the bye-election and will remain in force until the election process is completed on July 15.
The District Election Officer said that for the by-election, a total of 1,71,462 voters, including 89,360 males, 82,095 females, and 7 third-gender voters, will be eligible to cast their votes at 181 booths.
Considering the summer season, arrangements for drinking water, wheelchairs for PWD voters, and voter facilitation desks will be available at the polling booths during the bye-election.
As many as 865 PWD voters and 757 voters beyond 85 years of age are there in the assembly segment. Likewise, 6 voters are the above age of 100 years besides 4946 first-time voters.
He said that the vulnerable mapping has already been conducted in the constituency and as many as 51 polling stations are falling in this category. The administration has appointed 18 sector officers in the constituency and one women polling station and ten model polling stations have been set up here.
The District Election Officer said that the Election Commission of India has fixed a limit of Rs.40 lakh on the election expenditure by candidates, and SSTs, VVTs, and flying squads have been deployed to keep a strict watch on the expenditure.
He informed that for the convenience of political parties/candidates, a 'single window' system has been established in Room No. 22, Ground Floor, District Administrative Complex, where political parties/candidates can apply for various permissions related to elections, including non-commercial/remote/uncontrolled airfields/helipads, public meetings, rallies/processions, loudspeakers, vehicle use, and running video vans.
He said that adherence to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will be ensured by all the stakeholders. People can also register their complaints regarding MCC violations through the C-Vigil app, at the complaint cell at the district level and the assembly level, and the helpline number 1950. He said that complaints related to elections will be resolved within the stipulated time frame.
Dr. Aggarwal informed that during the bye-election process, strict monitoring will be done on bank transactions and the production and storage of liquor.
He said that the Model Code of Conduct will be strictly enforced, and immediate action will be taken against any violation of the MCC. He further stated that three VSTs, two VVTs, one accounting team, nine FSTs, nine SSTs, three C-vigil FSTs, and six ESPs will keep a close watch on the constituency during elections.
Speaking about security arrangements, Joint Police Commissioner Sandeep Sharma said that different teams of security forces will be deployed in the assembly constituency.
He also informed that licensed weapons are being deposited. They further stated that in addition to this, activities of absconding criminals and anti-social elements are being closely monitored. They mentioned that the maximum cash carry limit was Rs. 50,000 and any valuables likely to be used for inducement of electors shall be subjected to seizure.