By Oct 18, nominees to declare criminal cases against them

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 9

The election candidates who have criminal cases pending against them will now have to publicly declare the same before the polling day. For the first time, the Haryana’s Assembly elections are being held in keeping with the Election Commission’s amended rules for declaration of criminal cases by the candidates, and the political parties on their part are ensuring their contestants don’t forget this one direction.

In a letter to its contesting candidates, the state unit of the Congress has asked them to furnish the information of criminal cases against them, supplied to the Returning Officer while filing their nominations, to the party office.

The ECI, in the amended rules had specified that the candidates, as also the political parties they represent, will have to publicise the details of criminal cases pending against them or cases in which they have been convicted, in three newspapers and on television.

Sources in the Chief Electoral Office, Haryana, said the declaration should be published upto two days before the date of poll which is October 18 in the case of Haryana.

Going public 

Candidates are required to publicise their cases at three different times in widely circulated dailies and thrice on channels in 8-second slots.