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Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C, convened a meeting with representatives from major political parties in the state to discuss essential aspects of the upcoming elections.
During the session, he provided detailed insights into the election process, highlighting key statistics such as the total number of voters (2,12,71,246), including male voters (1,11,92,959), female voters (1,00,77,543), transgender voters (744), persons with disabilities (PwD-1,57,257), overseas voters (1597) and the number of polling stations (24,433). Additionally, he informed attendees about recent provisions allowing PwD voters and individuals aged 85 and above to opt for voting at home. Regarding Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) availability, Sibin C stated that the state boasts 150 per cent availability, ensuring a surplus of 50 per cent more than required. Furthermore, he assured that all polling stations would be equipped with essential facilities such as ramps, water supply, proper lighting arrangements, and toilets. He emphasised that all polling stations would be conveniently located within two kilometres of voters' addresses. He elaborated on various intricacies of the electoral process, including candidate qualifications for Lok Sabha elections, disqualification provisions (both constitutional and statutory), nomination procedures, grounds for rejection of nominations, and rules governing withdrawal of nominations, as well as symbol allotment regulations. The CEO also outlined the key provisions of the Model Code of Conduct, stressing that political parties and candidates must refrain from hate speech, religious or caste-based vote solicitation, personal attacks on opponents, or criticism based on unverified reports. He further emphasised the necessity of obtaining prior permission from district authorities for meetings and other events. He provided insights into the Suvidha portal and its role in simplifying the nomination process and obtaining various permissions for political parties. Through the Suvidha portal, candidates can file nominations and affidavits online, schedule meetings with returning officers for document submission, and streamline administrative procedures. The meeting was also attended by Additional CEOs Harish Nayyar and Abhijeet Kaplish, Joint CEO Sakkatar Singh Bal and other officials of the CEO office. (ANI)
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