Administration to ensure strict enforcement of model code of conduct in Ludhiana: DEO Varinder Kumar Sharma

Teams constituted for checking violation of model code of conduct

Ludhiana, January 8, 2022: Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Ludhiana Varinder Kumar Sharma today said that the district administration would ensure strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) to ensure free, fair, transparent and peaceful polls during the assembly elections. He said that we would categorically ensure the prohibitions and limitations imposed by ECI in wake of COVID-19 protocols.

The Deputy Commissioner said that with the announcement of the elections the Model Code of Conduct has come into force. He said that the administration was duty-bound to ensure that the Model Code of Conduct was implemented in true letter and spirit. He categorically said that any sort of violation of the Model Code of Conduct would invite stern action by the administration.

He said that the administration has constituted several committees at the district level as well as assembly constituency level and disclosed that Media Certification and Monitoring Committee, Vehicle Management teams, Expenditure Monitoring Committee, Model Code of Conduct Teams, Video Viewing Teams and Accounting teams, Flying Squad teams, Static Surveillance Teams, Video Viewing Teams, Accounting teams and others to ensure strict implementation of the Model Code of Conduct.

He said that the people can also lodge their complaints regarding the violation of the Model Code of Conduct through 1950 toll free number. He said that the Election Commission of India has introduced cVigil app for effective implementation of the Model Code of Conduct as per which every election related complaint within 100 minutes. 

The District Election Officer said that through this app, prompt action would be taken against every complaint regarding the violation of Model Code. He said that any individual can load video clip or picture regarding the violation of Model Code of Conduct.

He added that it is the bounden duty of all the teams to perform their duty efficaciously to ensure no one can influence election process with money.

He said that the Election Commission of India has set a limit of Rs 40 lakh for every candidate to spend during the ensuing assembly elections.

Likewise, Varinder Kumar Sharma said that for the facilitation of these teams, the rates of every item has been duly fixed by the Election Commission. He told that these lists of more than 150 items have also been given to political parties.

District Election Officer further said that notification of election would be issued on January 21, nomination can be filed for the 14 assembly constituencies of district Ludhiana till January 28, Scrutiny of nomination papers would be held on January 29 and withdrawal of nomination till January 31 and voting would be held on February 14. He said that the counting of the votes would be done on March 10.

He directed the officials to immediately remove all political hoardings/posters/banners from roads, electricity, telephone poles, trees, government buildings and other places and also fixed deadline of 48 hours for removal of political slogans or pictures on local level official websites.

Besides, he ordered them to personally check all the nakas being held in their areas to ensure check on illicit means including liquor, drugs, money or others to lure the voters.

District Election Officer also told the Returning Officers (ROs) to visit each and every polling booth in the next days to ensure all the facilities there including mandatory sanitization, thermal scanner, masking, earmarking of social distancing circles in queues, sanitizers, hand glovers, shaded waiting areas, drinking water, toilets, ramps, wheel chairs and others.