The terms of the Legislative Assemblies of Chhattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Delhi are normally due to expire as follows:
Chhattisgarh 04.01.2014
Madhya
Pradesh 12.12.2013
Mizoram 15.12.2013
Rajasthan 31.12.2013
Delhi 17.12.2013
As per the established practice, the Election Commission holds the
General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of the States whose terms
expire around the same time, together.
By virtue of its powers, duties and functions under Article 324 read
with Article 172(1) of the Constitution of India and Section 15 of
Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Commission is required to hold
elections to constitute the new Legislative Assemblies in the said States of
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Delhi before expiry of
their present terms.
(1) Assembly
Constituencies
The total number of Assembly Constituencies in the States of
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Delhi and seats reserved
for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, as determined by the
Delimitation Commission under the Delimitation Act, 2002 are as under: -
|
States
|
Total
No. of Assembly Constituencies
|
Reserved
for SCs
|
Reserved
for STs
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
90
|
10
|
29
|
|
Madhya
Pradesh
|
230
|
35
|
47
|
|
Mizoram
|
40
|
-
|
39
|
|
Rajasthan
|
200
|
34
|
25
|
|
Delhi
|
70
|
12
|
-
|
(2) Electoral Rolls
The
Electoral Rolls of all existing Assembly Constituencies in the States of
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Delhi on the basis of the
electoral rolls revised with reference to 1.1.2013 as the qualifying date and
have been finally published on 12.09.2013, 24.07.2013, 16.08.2013, 06.09.2013
and 09.09.2013 respectively. The number of electors in these States, as on
date, are as under:
|
States
|
Total
No. of Electors
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
1,67,96174
|
|
Madhya
Pradesh
|
4,64,57724
|
|
Mizoram
|
6,86305
|
|
Rajasthan
|
4,06,08056
|
|
Delhi
|
1,15,07113
|
(3) Photo Electoral Rolls
Photo
electoral rolls will be used during the forthcoming general elections and photo
percentages in Photo Electoral Rolls of States are as follows:-
|
States
|
Percentage
of Photo Electoral Rolls
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
99.43%
|
|
Madhya
Pradesh
|
100%
|
|
Mizoram
|
100%
|
|
Rajasthan
|
99.27%
|
|
Delhi
|
100%
|
(4) Electors Photo
Identity Cards (EPIC)
Identification
of the voters at the polling booth at the time of poll shall be mandatory.
Electors who have been provided with EPIC shall be identified through EPIC.
Presently, the EPIC coverage in these States is as under:-
|
States
|
Percentage
of EPIC
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
98.81%
|
|
Madhya
Pradesh
|
100%
|
|
Mizoram
|
100%
|
|
Rajasthan
|
99.43%
|
|
Delhi
|
100%
|
All
the residual electors are advised to obtain their Elector Photo Identity Cards
from the Electoral Registration Officers of their Assembly Constituencies
urgently.
In
order to ensure that no voter is deprived of his/her franchise, if his/her name
figures in the Electoral Rolls, separate instructions will be issued to allow
additional documents for identification of voters, if needed.
(5) Polling Stations
Polling
Stations in the poll going States as on the date of final publication of
electoral rolls are as follows:
|
States
|
No.
of Polling Stations
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
21,418
|
|
Madhya
Pradesh
|
53,896
|
|
Mizoram
|
1126
|
|
Rajasthan
|
45,334
|
|
Delhi
|
11,763
|
For
the facility of physically challenged persons, instructions have been issued to
ensure that all polling stations as far as practicable, are located at ground
floor and ramps are provided. Facilitation shall also be provided for locating
electors’ names in a polling station or a group of polling stations through
help lines and facilitation centers.
(6) Polling Parties and
Randomization
Polling
parties shall be formed randomly, through special application software.
Three-stage randomization will be adopted. First, from a wider district
database of eligible officials, a shortlist of a minimum 120% of the required
numbers will be randomly picked up. This group will be trained for polling
duties. In the second stage, from this trained manpower, actual polling parties
as required shall be formed by random selection software in the presence of
General Observers. In the third randomization, the polling stations will be
allocated randomly just before the polling party’s departure. There shall be
randomization for such Police Constables and Home guards also, who are deployed
at the polling stations on the poll day.
(7) Electronic Voting Machines
(EVMs)
The poll in these States will be conducted at all polling stations using
EVMs. The Commission has already made arrangements to ensure availability of
adequate number of EVMs for the smooth conduct of elections. The Commission has
issued a new set of instructions with regard to the First Level Check of EVMs,
that will be used in the poll in these States. The First Level Check of EVMs, has
been done in the presence of representatives of political parties. A
two-stage randomization of EVMs will be made. In the first stage, all the EVMs
stored in the district storage centre will be randomized by the District
Election Officer (DEO) in the presence of the representatives of the recognized
political parties for allocation assembly constituency-wise. EVMs will be
prepared and set for elections after finalization of the contesting candidates.
At this stage also, candidates or their agents/representatives will be allowed
to check and satisfy themselves in every manner about the functionality of the
EVMs. After the EVMs in a constituency are prepared for the poll by the
Returning Officer and the ballot units are fitted with ballot papers, then the
EVMs will again be randomized to decide the actual polling stations in which
they will be ultimately used. The Second Stage randomization will be done in
the presence of Observers, Candidates or their Election Agents.
(8) None of the Above
(NOTA) Option in EVMs
In
its judgment dated 27th September, 2013 in Writ Petition (C)
No. 161 of 2004, the Supreme Court has directed that there should be a “None of
the Above” (NOTA) option on the ballot papers and EVMs. The Court
has directed that the Commission should implement it ‘either in a phased manner
or at a time with the assistance of Government of India’. For implementing the
NOTA option, the Commission is preparing detailed instructions for issue to the
Chief Electoral Officers of all States/Union Territories.
On
the Balloting Unit, below the name of the last candidate, there will now be a
button for NOTA option so that electors who do not want to vote for any of the
candidates can exercise their option by pressing the button against NOTA.
The Commission is taking steps to bring this to the knowledge of voters
and all other stakeholders and to train all field level officials including the
polling personnel about the NOTA option.
(9) Affidavits of
candidates – all columns to be filled in
In pursuance of the judgment dated 13th September, 2013
passed by the Supreme Court in Writ Petition (C) No. 121 of 2008, which among
other things makes it obligatory for the Returning Officer “to check whether
the information required is fully furnished at the time of filing of affidavit
with the nomination paper”, the Commission has issued instructions that in the
affidavit to be filed along with the nomination paper, candidates are required
to fill up all columns. If any column in the affidavit is left
blank, the Returning Officer will issue a notice to the candidate to file the
affidavit with all columns filled in. After such notice, if a
candidate fails to file affidavit complete in all respect, the nomination paper
will be liable to be rejected at the time of scrutiny. The Chief
Electoral Officers have been directed to brief all Returning Officers about the
judgment of the Supreme Court and the Commission’s instructions.
(10) Communication plan
The Commission attaches great importance to preparation and
implementation of a perfect communication plan at the district/constituency
level for the smooth conduct of elections and to enable concurrent intervention
and mid course correction on the poll day. For the said purpose, the
Commission has directed the Chief Electoral Officers of all the polling going
states to coordinate with the officers of Telecommunication Department in the
State headquarters, BSNL/MTNL authorities, the representatives of other leading
service providers in the State so that network status in the State is assessed
and communication shadow areas be identified. The CEOs have also
been advised to ensure best communication plan in their States.
(11) Videography
All
critical events will be video-graphed. District Election Officers will arrange
sufficient number of video and digital cameras and camera teams for the
purpose. The events for videography will include filing of
nominations, scrutiny thereof and allotment of symbols, First Level Checking,
preparations and storage of Electronic Voting Machines, important public
meetings, processions etc. during campaign, process of dispatching of postal
ballot papers, polling process in identified vulnerable polling stations,
storage of polled EVMs, counting of votes etc. Digital cameras will also be
deployed inside polling booths wherever needed and inside all counting centers.
CDs of video recordings will be available on payment to anyone who wishes to
obtain a copy of the same.
(12) Law and Order and Deployment of Forces
Conduct of elections involves elaborate security management. It includes
ensuring the security of polling personnel, security at the polling stations,
security of polling materials and also the overall security of the election
process. Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are deployed for area domination
prior to poll in order to build confidence in the minds of voters specially vulnerable
voters viz. weaker section, minorities etc. Keeping all this in mind, the very
designing of the poll schedule, sequencing of multi-phase elections
and choice of constituencies for each phase had to follow the logic of force
availability and force management.
The Commission has taken various measures to ensure free and fair
elections by creating an atmosphere in which each elector is able to access the
polling station without being obstructed or being undulyinfluenced/intimidated by
anybody.
Based on the assessment of the ground situation, Central Armed Police
Forces (CAPF) and State Armed Police (SAP) drawn from other States will be
deployed during the ensuing general elections. The CAPF and SAP will be used
generally for safeguarding the polling stations and for providing security to
the electors and polling personnel at the polling stations on the poll day.
Besides, these forces will be used for securing the strong rooms where the EVMs
are stored and for securing the counting centers and for other purposes, as
required.
The
Commission has been issuing instructions from time to time with regard to the
advance preventive measures to be taken by the District Magistrates and Police
authorities to maintain the Law & Order and to create atmosphere conducive
for the conduct of free and fair elections. The Commission will be constantly
monitoring the ground situation closely and will take appropriate measures to
ensure peaceful, free and fair polls in these States.
(13) General Observers
The
Commission will deploy General Observers in adequate number to ensure smooth
conduct of elections. The Observers will be asked to keep a close watch on
every stage of the electoral process to ensure free and fair elections. Their
names, addresses within the district/constituency and their telephone numbers
will be publicized in local newspapers so that the general public can quickly
approach them for any grievance redressal. The Observers will be given a
detailed briefing by the Commission before their deployment. Commission may
also deploy Police Observers to keep a close watch on law & order
situation.
(14) Election Expenditure Monitoring
Comprehensive
instructions for the purpose of effective monitoring of the election
expenditure of the candidates have been issued, which include formation of
flying squads, static surveillance Teams, video surveillance Teams, involvement
of Investigation Directorates of Income Tax Deptt. etc. State Excise
Departments and police authorities have been asked to monitor production,
distribution, sale and storage of liquor and other intoxicants during the
election process.
For greater transparency and for ease of monitoring of Election
Expenses, Candidates would be required to open a separate bank account and
incur their election expenses from that very account. The political parties are
also advised not to incur any expenditure in cash beyond Rs. 20,000/- also
advised not to carry cash above Rs. 50,000/- to the poll going state during the
election process. The Investigation Directorate of Income Tax Dept. has been
asked to open Air Intelligence unit in the airports of these states and also to
gather intelligence and take necessary action against movement of large sum of
money in these states.
Expenditure Observers and Assistant Exp. Observers from Central
Government are being appointed to keep close watch on election expenditure of
the candidates. Control room and Complaint Monitoring Centre with 24 hours toll
free numbers shall be operative during the entire election process. Banks and
financial intelligence units of Government of India have been asked to forward
suspicious cash withdrawal reports to the election officials.
All candidates must ensure that they file their affidavits in the
revised format (Form 26) only. The revised format is available on the ECI
website and in Returning Officer’s handbook.
(15) Paid News
To deal with the issue of ‘Paid News’, a mechanism has been laid out
with three tier of Media certification and Monitoring Committees (MCMC) at
District, State and ECI level. Revised comprehensive instruction on ‘Paid
News’ has been issued on 27th August 2012 and is available on
the Commission’s Website.
Necessary instructions have been issued to the CEOs of the poll going
states to ensure briefing of political parties and Media in the districts about
‘Paid News’ and the mechanism to check ‘Paid News’. Representatives of
Political Parties and Media Organizations of poll going states have also been
briefed at Election Commission. The MCMCs of all states have been trained to do
their job.
(16) Police Observers
The Commission has decided to deploy IPS officers as Police Observers in
district level, in the poll going States depending upon the sensitivity. They
will monitor all activities relating force deployment, law and order situation
and co-ordinate between civil and Police administration to ensure free and fair
election.
(17) Awareness Observers
For the first time, the Commission will deploy Central Awareness Observers to oversee the efficient and effective management of the electoral process at the field level mainly in the field of voter awareness and facilitation. Awareness Observers will be deployed in two phases of seven days each and shall observe the interventions undertaken by the election machinery to bridge the gap in people’s participation in the electoral process particularly in voters’ turnout. They shall also monitor the various media related aspects of RP Act 1951 and also observe the mechanism directed by the Commission at district levels on checking the problem of ‘Paid News’.
(18) Micro Observers
In
addition to General Observers, the Commission will also deploy Micro Observers
to observe the poll proceedings in the polling stations on the poll day in
selected critical polling stations. They will be chosen from Central
Government/Central PSUs officials. Micro-Observers will observe the proceedings
at the polling stations on the poll day right from the mock poll to the
completion of poll and the process of sealing of EVMs and other documents to
ensure that all instructions of the Commission are complied with by the Polling
Parties and the Polling Agents. They will report to the General Observers
directly about any vitiation of the poll proceedings in their allotted polling
stations.
(19) Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral
Participation (SVEEP)
Comprehensive
measures for voters’ education were taken up during the Roll Revision process
in the five poll going states. These measures will continue during the
electoral process. Chief Electoral Officers of the five poll-going states have
been directed to ensure wide dissemination of election related information and
also for carrying out Voter Education campaigns as well as adequate
facilitation measures for ensuing wider participation of people in polling.
State and District SVEEP plans have been approved by the Commission based on
comprehensive KABP (Knowledge, Attitude, Behaviour, Practices) Survey and
these are being implemented in partnership with a host of governmental and
non-governmental departments and agencies. Targeted interventions have been taken
up to meet shortfall in turnout among various segments of population at polling
station levels.
(20) Conduct of Officials
The
Commission expects all officials engaged in the conduct of elections to
discharge their duties in an impartial manner without any fear or favour.
They are deemed to be on deputation to the Commission and shall be subject to
its control, supervision and discipline. The conduct of all Government
officials who have been entrusted with election related responsibilities and
duties would remain under constant scrutiny of the Commission and strict action
shall be taken against those officials who are found wanting on any account.
The Commission has already given instructions that no election related
official or Police officer of the rank of Inspector and above shall be allowed
to continue in his home district. Besides, instructions have also been issued
that election related officials including police officials of Inspector level
& above who have completed three years in a district during last four years
should be transferred out of that district. Police officers of the rank of Sub
Inspectors who have completed three years in a Sub Division/Assembly
Constituency or are posted in their home sub division/assembly constituency shall
be transferred out of that Sub Division and the Assembly Constituency.
The Commission has also instructed the State Governments not to
associate any officer with the electoral process against whom charges have been
framed in a court of law in any case.
(21) District Election Plan
The
District Election Officers have been asked to prepare a comprehensive district
election plan in consultation with SPs and Sector Officers including the route
plan and communication plan for conduct of elections. These plans will be
vetted by the Observers taking into account vulnerability mapping exercise and
mapping of critical polling station in accordance with Election Commission of
India’s extant instructions.
(22) Model Code of Conduct
The
Model Code of Conduct comes into effect immediately from now onwards. All the
provisions of the Model Code will apply to the whole of poll going States and
will be applicable to all candidates, political parties, the State Governments
of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Delhi and the Union
Government from today itself. Attention of the political parties and candidates
is particularly invited to the following provisions of the Model Code:-
“There
shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Mosques, Churches,
Temples or other places of worship shall not be used as forum for election
propaganda.”
(23) Protection to SC/ST Electors
As
per Section 3 (1) (vii) of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act, 1989, whoever, not being a member of a Scheduled Caste or
Scheduled Tribe, forces or intimidates a member of a Scheduled Caste or a
Scheduled Tribe not to vote or to vote for a particular candidate or to vote in
a manner other than that provided by law shall be punishable with imprisonment
for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to five
years and with fine. The Commission has asked the State Governments to bring
these provisions to the notice of all concerned for prompt action.
(24) Photo Voter Slips
To
facilitate the voters to know where he/she is enrolled as a voter at a
particular polling station and what is his/her serial number in the Electoral
roll, the Commission has directed that voter slip along with Photo (wherever
present in the roll) will be distributed to all enrolled voters by the District
Election Officer. It has also been directed that the said voter slip should be
in the languages in which electoral roll is published for that Assembly
Constituency.
(25) Complaint redressal mechanism
– Call Center and Website based
All poll going
States shall have a complaint redressal mechanism based on website
and call center. The number of call center is 1950, which is a toll free
number. The URL of the complaint registration website will be announced for
each State by the respective Chief Electoral Officer separately. Complaints can
be registered by making calls to the toll free call center numbers or on the
web site. Action will be taken within time limit on all complaints.
Complainants will also be informed of the action taken by SMS and by the call
center. Complainants can also see the details of the action taken on their
complaints on the website.
(26) Schedules of Election
The
Commission has prepared the Schedules for holding General Elections to the
Legislative Assemblies of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and
Delhi after taking into consideration all relevant aspects, like the Climatic
conditions, Academic Calendars, Festivals, prevailing law and order situation
in the States, availability of Central Police Forces, time needed for movement,
transportation and timely deployment of forces, and assessment of other ground
realities.
The Commission after considering all relevant aspects has decided to
recommend to the respective Governors of the States, to issue notifications for
the General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of these states under the
relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Election
Schedule for general election to the Legislative Assemblies of Chhattisgarh,
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram, and Delhi are enclosed.
(27) BYE-ELECTIONS:
The
Commission has also decided to hold bye-elections from 167-Surat West Assembly
constituency of Gujarat and 83-Yercaud (ST) Assembly constituency of Tamil
Nadu. The election schedule for these bye-elections is enclosed.
All Instructions/Guidelines of the Commission regarding these elections
can also be seen by visiting Commission’s website "www.eci.nic.in"
Election Commission of India
New Delhi, 04 October, 2013
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