Chandigarh MC elections on Dec 24

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 22

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation will go to the polls on December 24. The counting of votes will take place on December 27 and the result will be out the same day.

Salient features

• Nomination form for candidates will also be available online. They can also fill it online, but will have to submit a signed copy in the office of the Election Commission
• Photo of the contesting candidate will also be printed on the ballot paper
• Expenditure amount for each candidate has been raised to Rs5 lakh from Rs3.75 lakh
• In case of violation of the model code of conduct, a complaint can be filed with the election observer concerned
• For advice, guidance or any information, interested people may contact the commission on 5025108, 5025109, 5003206 or visit the office

1 hour for Covid +ve

• The Election Commission has made special arrangements for Covid patients and suspected cases coming for polling
• Last one hour of voting on December 24 has been fixed for them. An official said the general public would also be able to vote during this time, but this one hour had been fixed for Covid patients as well
• There will be all arrangements for them with staff in PPE kits for voting. A separate room may also be kept for such people coming to vote. Besides, the mask and social distancing norms will be strictly followed

This time it’s Friday, not Sunday

• Unlike previous occasions, when the polling was held on Sundays, this time it will on Friday. An official said it would be declared a holiday
• The campaign timings have been fixed from 10 am to 7 pm in view of Covid and CBSE exams
• There will be around 1,000 voters per booth due to Covid; last time the figure was 1,500
• Unlike last year, campaigning to stop 72 hours before poll and not 48 hrs
• Commission will launch an app where people will be able to see details about candidates and booths

There are a total of 6,30,311 voters. Of them, 3,30,713 are male and 2,99,581 female. There are 17 third gender voters. In view of the increase in the number of wards from 26 to 35, the number of polling booths has also been raised from 474 to 694.

This was revealed by SK Srivastava, State Election Commissioner, at a press conference here. The nomination will be filed from November 27 to December 4. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on December 6, while December 9 has been fixed as the date for withdrawal of candidature. The electoral process will be completed on December 30.

With the announcement today, the model code of conduct has come into force in all 35 wards of the MC.

On the case pending regarding the elections, Srivastava said, “There is no stay on it. We respect the court and whatever it decides in the case, we will follow.”

For now, the ruling BJP, Congress, debutant AAP and the SAD-BSP combine have announced to contest all 35 seats of councillor in the MC poll. After 13 new villages were merged in the MC, the number of wards was increased to 35.

At present, the BJP has 20 councillors, the Congress five and the SAD one. AAP did not contest the 2016 MC poll, though it did support some Independent candidates.

Sanitation, increased water rates and door-to-door waste collection are among the poll issues the Opposition is likely to rake up, while the ruling party is likely to contest the elections on development carried out by it in the city.