Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)
Bantwal, Mar 11: N R Umesh, Assistant election officer has said that 256 new voters have registered in the 240 polling booths in Bantwal Legislative assembly constituency as on March 9 and there is scope for registration till March 14.
Speaking during the news conference called at S J S R Y hall on Tuesday, March 11, he explained the preparations for the elections.
He said that 126 applications are received to delete their names from the list and 90 applications are received requesting for change of constituency and polling booths. There is scope for addition of names till March 14 but those who register after the March 15, may be deprived of exercising their franchise this time, he said.
There are 240 polling booths in the constituency. 48 of them are considered sensitive, 24 as very sensitive and 168 are considered general and 21 polling officials and security officials as found necessary will be assigned to them, he said.
As per election commission, strict election code of conduct is in force from March 5 and there are no complaints in Bantwal constituency so far. The commission has stipulated 8 am to 10 pm as the time for election propaganda. The propaganda has to stop 48 hours prior to the elections on April 17 and the permission of the election commission is mandatory for campaigns between this periods. Such permission will be given after scrutiny and will be restricted to 24 hours, he said.
He stressed that the permission is required for Banners, Buntings and Flex and party flags and banners can be put prior to two hours before the start of the programme and have to be removed within an hour after the programme as per directions by the commission.
Religious programmes do not come under such restrictions but there should be no campaigns in favor of political parties in them. The election officials observe every action by the political parties and will take suitable disciplinary action in case of violations, he said.
The recent Congress reconciliation conference was a political meeting and was held after taking permission from the election commission.
There are allegations that there were verbal insults there. There are no complaints but we will get to the truth after watching the CD of the programme, he said.
Bantwal taluk Tahsildar Malleswamy and Taluk panchayat executive officer Cyprian Miranda were present in the news conference.