Gujarat Assembly polls on Dec 9 & Dec 14, 2017

Speed Post News Network

Delhi : The elections to 182 seat Gujarat Assembly will be held in two pahses on December 9 and December 14, 2017. In the first phase on December 9, elections to 89 seats of Gujarat Assembly will be held while in second phase on December 14, elections to 93 seats will be held.

The counting of votes will take place on December 18, 2017, according to Chief Election Commissioner A K Joti. The term of the present Gujarat Assembly is due to expire on January 22, 2018. The Gazette Notification will be issued on October 14 for elections to 89 assembly seats and on December 20 for elections to 93 seats. The number of polling station Gujarat has increased to 50,128 in 2017 from 44,579 in 2012 assembly polls. The number of electors is increased to 4.33 crore in 2017. The Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) has been issued to 99.99 % voters.

With the schedule of the Gujarat Assembly polls announced on October 25, 2017, by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into force with immediate effect. The Model Code of Conduct shall also be applicable to the Union Government insofar as announcements/policy decisions pertaining to/for this State is concerned, according to a PIB release. The Commission has made elaborate arrangements for ensuring the effective implementation of the MCC Guidelines. Any violations of these Guidelines would be strictly dealt with, according to the release.

The ECI has also issued instructions for swift, effective and stringent action for enforcement of Model Code of Conduct during the first 72 hours of announcement of the election schedule and also for maintaining extra vigilance and strict enforcement action in the last 72 hours prior to the close of polls, according to the PIB release.

All critical events will be video-graphed. District Election Officers will arrange sufficient number of video and digital cameras and camera teams for the purpose. The events for videography will include filing of nomination papers and scrutiny thereof, allotment of symbols, First Level Checking, preparations and storage of Electronic Voting Machines, important public meetings, processions etc. during election campaign, process of dispatching of postal ballot papers, polling process in identified vulnerable polling stations, storage of polled EVMs and VVPATs, counting of votes etc, according to the PIB release.

The first phase of polls will cover 19 of the 33 districts of Gujarat while the second phase will cover 14 districts.