Punjab MC Polls schedule announced, Model Code imposed

Program for General/Bye Elections of Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats -2021  announced

STATE ELECTION COMMISSION ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE

   MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT COMES INTO FORCE WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT    WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITIES AREAS WHERE ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD

    LAST DATE OF FILING NOMINATIONS IS  3rd February, 2021

Chandigarh, January 16, 2021:(WISHAVWARTA)-The State Election Commissioner, Punjab, Mr.Jagpal Singh Sandhu, here today announced the schedule for Elections/Bye Election of 08 Municipal Corporations and 109  Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats . With the announcement of the schedule, the ‘Model  Code of Conduct’ has come into  force with immediate effect within the municipal areas of the municipalities where elections will be held.  The Code of Conduct would be in force till the completion of the electoral process.
Elaborating further, Mr.Jagpal Singh Sandhu said that the process for filing nominations would commence on 30 January, 2021 and 3rd February, 2021 would be the last date. The nominations would be scrutinised on 4th February, 2021  while the date of withdrawal of nominations is  5th February, 2021  which would also be the date of allotting the election symbols to the candidates. Election Campaigning will end on February 12th, 2021 at 5.00 PM. The voting would be held on 14th February, 2021  from 08.00 Am to 4.00 PM.  Counting of votes would be done on 17th February, 2021.  145 Returning Officers and 145  Assistant Returning Officers have been appointed for conducting the elections.    30  IAS/PCS  officers would be appointed as Election Observers  and  06 IPS officers will be appointed as Police observers to ensure the peaceful, free  and fair conduct of elections.
He said that 400  members would be elected for 08 Municipal Corporations  and 1902 members would be elected for  109  Municipal councils/ Nagar Panchayats in the State.  50% reservation has been given for women in municipal elections as per Punjab Government instructions.
Voter list prepared by the E.R.O. Phagwara has many deficiencies and which has to be recast again. Therefore, the election of Phagwara Municipal Corporation will be held later on after preparing the voter list.
Mr.Sandhu has also said that the voter lists of Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats had been updated with qualifying date of  01-01-2020. He appealed to the voters to participate the voting process with full zeal and honesty. There are 20,49,777 Male,  18,65,354 Female and 149 Transgender voters totalling 39,15,280  registered voters in the State of Punjab for these elections.
Commission has established  4102  polling booths and around 18000  personnel will be put on election duty. This election will be held by EVMs.  7000 EVMs  have been arranged for this purpose.
The State Election Commission further said that the expenditure limit for a candidate of Municipal Corporation has been fixed as        Rs.3.00 Lacs, for candidate of Municipal Council Class -I, Rs.2.70 Lacs,              Class-II- Rs.1.70 Lacs, Class -III- Rs.1.45 Lacs and candidates for Nagar Panchayats Rs.1.05 Lacs.
He further said that keeping in view the COVID-19, SOP containing detailed guidelines were to be adopted during  the election process was issued on 10-12-2020.  For taking preventive measures for COVID-19, Rs.1.65 crores have been allocated to provide  Masks, sanitisers, temperature guns and gloves to be used by the staff deployed for election duty.
General elections of Municipal Corporations to be held in Abohar, Bathinda Batala, Kapurthala, S.A.S. Nagar,  Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Moga and bye election in the ward no 37 (backward classes) of municipal corporation Amritsar would also be held.

He further said that General elections of Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats would also be held in Ajnala, Ramdas, Rayya, Majitha, Jandiala Guru of district Amritsar and in Bathinda District Bhucho Mandi, Goniana, Maur,Rama, Kotfatta, Sangat, Kotha Guru, Mehraj, Kot Samir, Lehra Mohabbat, Bhai Roopa, Maluka, Bhagta Bhai Ka,  in  Barnala District Barnala, Tapa, Bhadaur, Dhanaula , In Faridkot District, Faridkot, Kotkapura, Jaiton , In Ferozepur District, Ferozepur, Guruhar Sahai, Zira, Talwandi Bhai, Mudki, Mamdot, in Fazilka District, Fazilka, Jalalabad, Arniwala , Shekhsubhan. In Fatehgarh Sahib District,  Sirhind Fatehgarh Sahib, Gobindgarh, Bassi Pathana, Khamano, In  Gurdaspur District, Gurdaspur,  Shri Hargobindpur, Fatehgarh Churian, Dhariwal, Qadian, Dina Nagar, in Hoshiarpur District,  Dasuya, Mukerian, Urmar Tanda, Garhshankar, Gardhiwala, Hariana, Sham Churasi,  in Jalandhar District,  Nakodar, Nurmehal, Phillaur, Kartarpur, Alawalpur, Adampur, Lohian Khas, Mehatpur, in Kapurthala District, Sultanpur Lodhi. In  Ludhiana district,  Khanna, Jagraon, Samrala, Raikot, Doraha, Payal and in Moga District, Badhni Kalan, Kot Isse Khan, Nihal Singh wala, in Mansa District,Mansa,  Budhlada, Bareta, Boha, Joga, in Mukatsar District,Mukatsar,  Malout, Gidderbaha , in Patiala District, Rajpura, Nabha, Samana, Patran, in Pathankot District, Sujanpur. In Roopnagar District,  Anandpur Sahib, Kiratpur Sahib, Nangal, Morinda, Chamkaur Sahib and Roopnagar,  in S.B.S. Districtm, Nawanshahr, Banga, Rahon ,  in S.A.S. Nagar, Kharar, Zirakpur, Dera Bassi, Kurali, Banur, Nayagoan, Lalru, in District Sangrur,  Malerkotla, Sunam, Ahmedgarh, Dhuri, Lehragaga, Longowal, Amargarh, Bhawanigarh, in Tarn Taran District, Bhikhiwind, Patti. Likewise,  Bye elections in Ward number-1 (Women) and Ward number-11 (SC) of Mahilpur, Ward No. 1 of Talwara of Hoshiarpur District, and in Ward number 8 (General) of Mullanpur Dakha, , Ward Number 6 of Sahnewal in Ludhiana District and Ward No. 12 of Amloh in District Fatehgarh Sahib.