Filing of nominations for Punjab poll begins

Chandigarh, Jan 18: The filing of nominations for the February 13 Punjab Assembly polls commenced today with the issuance of notification for the elections by the Election Commission (EC).

The by-election to the Amritsar Lok Sabha which is also being held on February 13 as the BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu vacated it after his conviction in a 19-year-old road rage murder case by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on December 6.

The last date for filing nominations will be January 25 and scrutiny will take place of January 27. Ths last date for withdrawal of candidatures is January 29, after which the final list of the contestants will be prepared.

The counting of votes to both the 117 assembly seats and the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency would take place on February 27.

The polling hours are from 0800 hours to 1700 hours. The election process shall be completed before March 2.

According to the state Chief Electoral Officer Sundaram Krishna the nomination papers are to be filed with the concerned Returning Officer for all Assembly Constituencies and the Amritsar Parliamentary Constituency between 1100 hours and 1500 hours on all days, except on public holidays.

The nomination papers are to be filled in form 2-B for Assembly elections and 2-A for the Amritsar Parliamentary Constituency. Blank forms will be made available with the District Election Officer/Returning Officer. Typed nomination papers will also be accepted provided they are in the prescribed form.

Mr Krishna said that in order to qualify for a Parliament (Lok Sabha) seat, a candidate should be registered as an elector in any Parliamentary constituency and for an Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) seat, a candidate should be registered as an elector in any Assembly Constituency in that State. To satisfy the concerned Returning Officer on this point, candidates should produce a certified copy of the relevant entry of the electoral roll in force.

A certificate by the candidate is also required to make and subscribe to an oath or affirmation in the prescribed form before the concerned Returning Officer or any other person so authorized by the Election Commission of India. The oath/affirmation should be taken/made by a candidate after his nomination paper has been filed and before the date fixed for the scrutiny of nominations.

Mr Krishna clarified that nominations would also be accepted on January 20, as Saturday despite being a holiday.No nomination will, however, be accepted or withdrawn on Sundays.

Mr Krishna said the Model Code of Conduct had come into force from the date of announcement of elections on December 29 by the Election Commission of India and it shall remain in force till the completion of the election process.

UNI