Election to Ara parliamentary constituency on May 19, 2019 : Bhojpur DM

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : Bhojpur District Magistrate (DM) cum District Election Officer (DEO) Sanjeev Kumar addressing a joint press conference with SP Aditya Kumar on March 11, 2019, said that the election to Ara parliamentary constituency will be held on May 19, 2019, and counting of votes will be taken up on May 23, 2019 and the result will be announced the same day. The DM said that with the announcement of dates of 2019 parliamentary elections, model code of conduct immediately came into force.

The DM said that notification for election to 32-Ara parliamentary will be issued on April 22, 2019, and the aspiring candidates may file their nomination from April 22 to April 29, 2019. The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held before the bservers on April 30, 2019, and the candidates may withdraw their names on April 30, 2019.

The DM said that Ara parliamentary constituency comprises seven assembly constituencies : Sandesh, Barahara, Ara, Agiao (R), Tarari, Jagdishpur, and Shahpur and added that the Assistant Election Officer (AEO) for each assembly constituency falling under Ara parliamentary constituency has been deputed separately.

The DM stated that at least 2055316 voters including 929835 woman and 153 third gender voters will exercise their franchise at 2,162 polling booths in all the seven assembly constituency falling under Ara parliamentary constituency. Giving break-up of voters and number of polling booths assembly constituencywise, the DM said that Sandesh has 289 polling booths and 279906 voters, Barahara has 314 booths and 300401 voters, Ara has 339 booths and 322404 voters, Agiao (R) has 276 booths and  259650 voters, Tarari has 320 booths and 293747 voters, Jagdishpur has 324 booths and 295663 voters, and Shahpur has 300 booths and 2055316 voters.

He said that as per the new guidelines of the election commission, every person wishing to contest election will have to publish the affidavits they submitted during filling of their nomination in the newspapers and electronic channels thrice at least 48 hours before the date of voting so that general masses could get information about the candidates’ background. He said that the candidates have to get no objection certificates from the media cell before publication of any advertisement in the newspapers or electronic channels otherwise it would be treated as violation of model code of conduct and cost incurred on advertisements would be added to the election expenses of the candidates.

The DM said that with  a view to maintaining transparency and streamlining the democratic system, the election commission this time has launched an app “cvigil” which would be operational after the notification for election to Ara parliamentary constituency is issued on April 22. He added that anyone can send live videos and photographs of any corrupt practices allegedly adopted by the candidates and political parties to woo the voters or spread hatred through speeches on communal, caste, creed or race line and the flying squads of the district concerned would take action after thorough verification.

Bhojpur SP Aditya Kumar said that police force and para-military forces will be deputed as per the sensitiveness of the booths.   All the police stations in Bhojpur district have been alerted and stern action would be taken against the law breaking persons.