The Vidhan Sabha Bye-Elections for 12-Nalagarh and 16-Renuka constituency will be held on 30th November, 2011, according to a notification issued by Election Commission of India (ECI).
According to Chief Electoral Officer, Shri Narender Chauhan, the notification in regard to Bye-Elections would be issued on 5th November, 2011 and the last date for filing the nomination would be 12th November, 2011. The Scrutiny of the nominations would be held on 14th November, 2011 and the last date for withdrawing the nominations would be 16th November, 2011, he said.
He said that the voting would be held from 8 am to 5 pm on the 30th November, 2011 on the polling day.
SDM (Urban) Nalagarh would be Returning Officer for Bye-Election to 12-Nalagarh and for 16-Renuka, it would be SDM (Urban) Nahan.
Shri Chauhan said that a Control Room had been set up in the office of Chief Electoral Officer with telephone number 0177-2622721 and toll free number of the Centre is 1950.
With the announcement of elections for these two Assembly Constituencies model code of conduct has come into force in district Sirmour and Solan where bye-elections are being held.
According to model code of conduct the Ministers shall not combine their official visit with electioneering work and shall not also make use of official machinery or personnel during the electioneering work. Government transport including official aircrafts, vehicles, machinery and personnel shall not be used for furtherance of the interest of the party in power. Public places as maidans for holding of election meetings and use of helipads for air-flights in connection with election shall not be monopolized by itself. Other parties and candidates shall be allowed the use of such places and facilitate on the same terms and conditions on which they are used by the party in power.
Rest houses, dak bungalows or other Government accommodation shall not be monopolized by the party in power or its candidates and such accommodations should be allowed to be used by other parties and candidates in fair manners. The code of conduct prohibits for holding any public meetings for propaganda in any of Government rest houses, schools, dak bungalows or other government accommodations by any party or candidate.
Issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer in the newspapers and other media and the misuse of official mass media during the election period for partisan coverage of political news and publicity regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power should be scrupulously avoided.
The Ministers and other authorities shall not sanction grants/payments out of discretionary funds from the time elections are announced to lure the general public of the area where bye-elections are to be held.
From the time elections are announced by the commission, Minister and other authorities shall not announce any financial grants in any form or make promises. The code of conduct of also prohibits laying of foundation stones of projects or schemes by any political party except civil servants, make any promise of construction of roads, provision of drinking water facilities etc., make any ad-hoc appointments in Government Public Undertakings etc. which may have the effect of influencing the voters in favour of the party in power. It also implies that if any advertisement has already been released for telecast/broadcast or publication in the print media, it must be ensured that the telecast/broadcast of such ads or electronic media is stopped forthwith and that no such advertisement is published in any newspapers, magazines, etc. i.e. in print media from today itself and it should be immediately withdrawn.
Election Commission has directed total ban on the transfer of all officers/officials connected with the conduct of the election. These include but are not restricted to the Chief Electoral Officer and Additional/Joint/Deputy Chief Electoral Officers, Divisional Commissioners, District Election Officers, Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers and other Revenue Officers connected with the Conduct of Elections. Officers of the Police Department connected with the management of elections like range IGs and DIGs, Senior Superintendents of Police and Superintendents of Police, Sub-divisional Police Officers like Deputy Superintendents of Police and other Police officers who are deputed to the Commission under section 28A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The transfer orders issued in respect of above categories of officers prior to the date of announcement but not implemented till date should not be given effect to without obtaining specific permission from the Commission in this regard.
This ban shall be effective till the formal declaration of the result of the bye-election by the Retuning Officer concerned. The Commission further directs that the State Government should refrain from making transfers of senior officers who have a role in the management of elections in the State.
In those cases where transfer of an officer is necessary on account of administrative exigencies, the State Government may with full justification approach the Commission for prior clearance.
