Declare candidates’ antecedents in newspapers, TV: Poll observers

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Nawanshahr, February 5

General observer IAS Amod Kumar, police observer IPS officer Ravi Shankar Chhabi and expenditure observer IRS officer Jayshankar Parkash Upadhyay on Saturday directed political parties to declare criminal antecedents of their candidates contesting in Nawanshahr, Banga and Balachaur constituencies in national and local vernaculars and TV channels on February 7, 11 and 17.

In a meeting with all parties and candidates at DAC, the observers accompanied by DC Vishesh Sarangal and SSP Kanwardeep Kaur said as per the directions of Election Commission, the political parties have to publish thrice about the criminal cases against their candidates one in national newspaper (English) and one in vernacular (Punjabi) newspapers till the date of expiry of the campaign period to ensure that the general public gets information regarding candidates.

Similarly, they have to run advertisement in TV channel three times, they said, adding that the parties have to mention clearly the details of cases against candidates, reason behind the selection of the candidate and why the parties failed to find other clean candidate. They asked political parties to flash the same information on their websites and on all social media handles.

Further, they informed the parties and candidates that the voting would be held from 8 am to 6 pm on February 20, the polling day and election agents have to reach at 7 am in polling booths.

They said a candidate can spend Rs40 lakh during the ensuing Assembly elections and payments more than Rs10,000 must be done either through cheque or online mode. They made it clear that every penny spent by the candidates would be accounted.

The observers also asked them to refrain from using offensive and objectionable language for opponent especially personal attacks or targeting their personal lives to ensure free and fair elections. They also sought their fulsome support in following Covid-19 protocols during the entire election process to ensure the safety of lives.

Accounts of candidates to be inspected at DAC

The expenditure observer for three Assembly segments in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, IRS officer Jayshankar Parkash Upadhyay will inspect the accounts of all contesting candidates and compare the shadow registers with the registers maintained by the candidates contesting at the District Administrative Complex (DAC) on February 7, 12 and 18.

Divulging details, District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal said the expenditure registers of all candidates in Banga would be compared from 9.30 am to 11 am on February 7 in room number-101 at the DAC followed by the candidates of Nawanshahr and Balachaur Assembly segments from 11 am to 1.30 pm and from 2.30 pm to 4 pm.