Chief Electoral Officer Narinder Chauhan said that according to the instructions issued by Election Commission of India (ECI), no booth would be set up within a distance of 200 meters from the Polling Station, only with one table and two chairs with an umbrella or a piece of tarpaulin or cloth to protect the two occupants, he added. He said that only one banner to display the name of the candidate, his party and the election symbol allotted to him would be allowed at each such booth. He said that two election booths could be set up, if more than two polling stations have been set up in a building.
Narinder Chauhan said that each candidate wishing to set up such booths would intimate in writing in advance to the Returning Officer, the names and S. Nos. of the Polling Stations where such booths are proposed to be set up. The candidate would also obtain the written permission of the concerned Government authority or local authorities like Corporation, Municipalities, Zila Parishads, Town Area Committees, Panchayat Samitis etc., before setting up of such booths, he added. He further informed that such a written permission must be available with the persons manning the booth for production before the police/ election authorities concerned on demand.
Chief Electoral Officer clarified that such booths shall be used only for the purpose of issuing unofficial identity slips to the electors and these slips shall be printed strictly in accordance with the instructions of the Commission on the subject without the name or symbol of the candidate or the name of the political party. The person manning the booths shall not cause any obstructions whatsoever in the way of electors proceeding to the polling station or prevent them from going to the booths of other candidates or create any other sort of hurdles whatsoever in the right of voters to exercise their franchise according to their own free will, he added.
He said that the Commission directed that no person other than authorized election and police officials would be allowed to either carry or use of cellular phones, cordless phones, wireless sets etc., in the 100 perimeter of the Polling Stations described as the ‘Polling Station Neighborhoods’ and within the polling booth. Only Obsever, Micro Observer, Presiding Officer, Booth Level Officer and security personnel would be allowed to carry mobile phone but they would keep their mobile phones in silent mode, he added. Chauhan said that in the bye-election, a candidate would be entitled one vehicle for their personal use, one vehicle for candidate’s election agent and one vehicle for the use of candidate’s workers or party workers. He further said that vehicle allotted for candidate’s use would not be used by any other person.
He said that according to the instructions issued by Election Commission of India, Section 123 (5) of the Representation of the People Act,1951 provides that the hiring, procuring or use of vehicles by a candidate or his agent or by any other person with the consent of the candidate or his election agent for the free conveyance of the voters to and fro from the polling station would be a ‘corrupt practice’ for the purpose of the Act. He said that such a ‘corrupt practice’ attracts penalty and was punishable with fine under section 133 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. He said that these instructions of Election commission of India shall be made applicable for a period of 24 hours before the time fixed for closure of poll and the completion of poll.
He said that elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful, free and fair elections in the State. 120253 electors will cast their vote in the bye-election of Nalagarh and Renuka Assembly Constituencies of the State on 30th November, 2011. It includes 118965 general electors and 1288 Service electors. Out of total 120253 electors, 63781 male electors and 56472 female electors would exercise their franchise, including 990 male service electors and 298 female service electors in Nalagarh and Renuka Assembly Constituencies.
12-Nalagarh Assembly Constituency has total 67780 electors including 66770 General electors and 1010 service electors. 16-Renuka Assembly Constituency has total 52473 electors out of which 52195 are General Electors and 278 Service Electors.
Narinder Chauhan said that 692 polling personnel have been deployed in two Assembly Constituencies, out of which 348 were in Nalagarh and 344 in Renuka. Both the Returning Officers have confirmed the arrival of all Polling Parties at the respective Polling Stations. He said that 172 Polling Stations have been set up in two Assembly Constituencies and 86 in each Constituency. He further said that in Nalagarh Assembly Constituency 14 Polling Stations were Sensitive, 18 Hyper Sensitive and 54 were Ordinary Polling Stations. In Renuka Assembly Constituency 13 Polling Stations were Sensitive, 3 Hyper Sensitive and 70 were Ordinary Polling Stations.
