CHANDIGARH, JANUARY 27: The Election Commission Of India today allowed the political parties to put up tents beyond 200 meters of polling station that would have only one table and two chairs. Disclosing this here today, Mrs. Usha R Sharma, Special Chief Electoral Officer Punjab, said that to check anti-social elements and goondas’ manning such booths, it has been decided that the person nominated for the booth by the political parties shall be voter in the same polling station and would have an EPIC, that should be shown to observers and the Sector Magistrate on demand.
She said that it has been decided that elected MPs and MLAs of poll going parliamentary and assembly constituencies would not be asked to leave their constituencies during state assembly election even if he/she is not elector there. However, such MPs and MLAs would not be allowed to carry out campaign in the constituency after the campaign period is over. She said that MLAs would stay in their own constituencies and would not visit another assembly segments.
Cautioning the media persons covering the assembly election not to reveal the secrecy of voting while covering the election, Mrs. Sharma said that any violation of this would invite imprisonment term that could extend up to 3 months or fine or both.
She added that instructions have already been issued regarding prohibition of sale of liquor or distribution of liquor in a hotel, eating joints, tavern, shops or any other place, public or private within the polling area after the campaign is over. She said that instructions have been issued to declare these days as dry days, this would also include the date of re-poll, if any. The storage of liquor by individuals would be curtailed during the above period and restrictions provided in the Excise Law on storage of liquor in unlicensed premises would be strictly enforced.
She said that new instructions have been issued to all polling stations regarding identification of Absentee , Shifted and dead voters. She said that each presiding officer would be provided lists of these category of voters and if any elector, who was in such list wants to cast his vote he would have to produce EPIC or any alternative photo document to be personally verified by Presiding Officer. She said that such electors would have to put their thumb impression, in addition to their signature in 17-A whether he/she is illiterate or literate.
Taking note of the political activities of Govt. emloyees , CEO has shifted Akbar Ali BDPO Nabha to Rajpura with an additional charge of Nabha and Parmpal Kaur BDPO Mansa to Head quarter Mohali. Besides that Ajmer Singh Panchayat Sectretary Moga-2 has been transferred to Jalalabad and Harsh Mehta Lecturer Sanskrit Govt. S.S.School Talwara to Zira.
She said that unaccounted cash worth Rs. 329772679 has been referred to the IT Department out of which 12.01 crores have been finally seized. Other things such as Poppy husk-2636 Kg., Illicit liquor-16523414 ml.,country wine bottles-512424, opium- 10489 gms., heroine-6357gms.smack-2506gms., Lahan-161281 kg. have also been seized so far from different places in the state. Besides that, 209686 licensed arms have been got deposited and 68 unlicensed arms and 248 ammunition/cartridges have been seized. As many as 9044 non-bailable warrants have been executed and 6621 persons bound down under sections107 /116.
The commission has received 2700 complaints of violations of model code of conduct out of which 1850 have been resolved.
In addition to the above , 7000 cases of liquor have been seized from a godown in Jalandhar. These have been linked to the INC candidate from Kapurthala Rana Gurjit Singh. Besides that another 300 cases of liquor have also been seized from Jalandhar.
