LOK SABHA ELECTIONS 2019: CANDIDATES WILL HAVE TO ADVERTISE CRIMINAL CASES REGISTERED AGAINST THEM IN MEDIA THRICE

EXPENDITURE BY CANDIDATES TO BE MATCHED THRICE BEFORE POLLING CANDIDATES SENSITISED ABOUT ELECTION PROCESS TODAY Ludhiana, May 3, 2019: In view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019, the candidates for Ludhiana Parliamentary Constituency were sensitised as to how the record of their expenditure is to be maintained. This meeting was chaired by District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Ludhiana Mr Pradeep Kumar Agrawal and was attended by the candidates or their representatives. While chairing the meeting, Mr Agrawal informed that as per the directions of Election Commission of India, if a criminal case is registered against any candidate, he would have to advertise it thrice each in print as well as electronic media (on different dates) so that the voters come to know about it. During the meeting, the candidates were educated about the expenditure limit, ways to maintain the expenditure record, get expenditure register checked by the expenditure observer regularly etc. Besides, they were also educated about model code of conduct, various permissions, working of EVM, mock poll, counting process etc. Mr Agrawal informed that the expenditure observers would check and match the record related to expenditure on May 7, 11 and 16, 2019. And it is compulsory for the candidate or their expenditure agent to come for this purpose and if any candidate fails to comply with this, then he might face problem in contesting the next election. He informed that polling booths have been set up in all assembly constituencies of the district, where VVPAT machines would be installed along with the EVMs. The candidates were also educated about the working of EVM and VVPAT machines. They were informed that they can check their vote for 7 seconds once its polled. Prominent among those present in the meeting included both expenditure observers, Police Commissioner Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill, ADC (G) Mr Iqbal Singh Sandhu, ADC (Jagraon) Mrs Neeru Katyal Gupta, besides several others.