GE to AMC 2010 Press Note Schedule

STATE ELECTION COMMISSION, MIZORAM
 Tuikhuahtlang, Aizawl-796001
 *******

No. B.14015/7/2009-SEC/MC/134                  :: Dated Aizawl, 20^th September, 2010

PRESS NOTE

SUBJECT: SCHEDULE FOR FIRST GENERAL ELECTION TO AIZAWL MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

By virtue of its powers, duties and functions under Article 243K & 243ZA of the Constitution of India read with section 346(1) of the Mizoram Municipalities Act, 2007 as amended in 2009, the State Election Commission, Mizoram is under a constitutional mandate to hold General Elections to constitute the First Aizawl Municipal Council in the State of Mizoram.

1. No. of Wards

The total number of Municipal Wards of the Aizawl Municipal Council and the seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes and Women as determined by the State Government and the State Election Commission under Article 243T of the Constitution of India are as follows :-

1. Electoral Rolls

The electoral rolls of the Village Councils were adopted as Electoral Rolls for First General Election to Aizawl Municipal Council as provided under sub-section (2) of section 346 of the Mizoram Municipalities Act, 2007 as amended in 2009, and the last V/C Rolls were revised with reference to 1.1.2010 as the qualifying date. The draft Rolls were published on 28^th June, 2010 and the final Rolls were published on 6^th August,2010. As per final rolls, there are 1,68,649 electors in the Aizawl Municipal Council area , among which 88,259 are female and 80,390 are male electors.

1. Identification of Electors and Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC)

Identification of the voters at the polling booth at the time of poll shall be compulsory. Electors who have been provided with EPIC issued by the Election Commission of India(ECI) shall be identified through EPIC only. If any elector fails to produce his/her EPIC, such elector shall have to produce any one of the following alternative documents for establishing his/her identity:-

1. Passport,
2. Driving Licence,
3. Income Tax Identity (    PAN )   Card,
4. Service Identity Card issued       to its employees by State/Central Government,

Public Sector Undertakings, Local Bodies or Public Limited Companies,

1. Passbooks issued by Public Sector Banks/Post Office and Kisan Passbooks (accounts opened upto 6-8-2010),
2. Property Documents such as Pattas, Registered Deeds, etc.with photograph,
3. SC/ST/OBC Certificate and Residential Certificate issued by competent authority (issued upto 6-8-2010),
4. Pension Documents such as ex-servicemen’s Pension Book/Pension Payment Order, ex-servicemen’s Widow / Dependent Certificate, Old Age Pension Order, Widow Pension Order (issued upto 6-8-2010),
5. Freedom Fighter Identity Card,
6. Arms Licenses (issued upto 6-8-2010),
7. Certificate of Physically Handicapped with photograph issued by the competent authority (issued upto 6-8-2010),
8. Job Card issued under NREGA with photograph (issued upto 6-8-2010), (xiii) Health Insurance Scheme Smart Card (issued upto 6-8-2010), (xiv) Students Identity Card issued by the concerned Head of Institution.
9. ‘Non-EPIC Certificate with Photograph’ issued by Municipal Returning Officer or Assistant Municipal Returning Officer.
10. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)

The poll will be conducted at all polling stations using ECI’s EVMs. The State Election Commission has already made arrangements to ensure availability of adequate number of EVMs for the smooth conduct of elections. A two-stage randomization of EVMs will be made. In the first stage, all the EVMs stored in the District Storage Center will be randomized by the DC & District Municipal Election Officer (DMEO) in the presence of the representatives of the recognized political parties for allocation of EVMs to specific Ward of Aizawl Municipality. Secondly, after the list of Ward-wise candidates is finalized and the EVMs of respective Wards are prepared for the poll by the concerned Returning Officer (including affixing of ballot papers on balloting units),the EVMs will once again be randomized to decide the actual polling stations within the Ward in which they will be ultimately used. This second stage randomization will be done in the presence of Observers, candidates or their election agents.

1. Polling Stations

There are 174 polling stations in Aizawl Municipal Council area. Facilitation shall also be provided for locating elector’s name against a polling station or a group of polling stations through State Election Commission’s website (secmizoram.in), help lines and facilitation center at the District Municipal Election Officer’s office.

1. Law and Order and Deployment of Forces

Based on the assessment of the ground situation and our experiences in the past , 2(two) Police personnel each at every Polling station for safeguarding the polling station and for providing security to the electors and Polling officials at the polling stations on the poll day will be deployed. Central Police Forces (CPF) i.e. CRPF will be deployed for safeguarding the Strong Room where the EVMs are stored and for securing the Counting Center. The Commission had discussed the security aspects with the DGP, Mizoram and will issue instructions from time to time with regard to the advance preventive measures to be taken by the District Magistrate and Police authorities to maintain law & order and to create atmosphere conducive for conduct of free and fair elections. The Commission will be constantly monitoring the ground situation closely and will take appropriate measures to ensure peaceful, free and fair polls in the First General Election to Aizawl Municipal Council.

Prohibitory order under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 will also be issued immediately banning the carrying of licensed arms and should be effective till the declaration of results. Issue of license for arms shall also be totally stopped during the period commencing with the date of announcement of election. This ban will continue to be operative till the completion of the election as notified. At the same time, order relating to use of loud speaker shall also be issued by the District Magistrate.

1. DMEO, Returning Officers & Asst. Returning Officers

Deputy Commissioner, Aizawl District has been appointed as the District Municipal Election Officer (DMEO) for the General Election to Aizawl Municipal Council. In addi­tion, the following officers of the State Government are also appointed as Municipal Returning Officers and Asst. Municipal Returning Officers for General Election to Aizawl Municipal Council, 2010.

1. Affidavits by Candidates

All the candidates will be required to file two affidavits along with their nomination papers. The affidavits will include information on the criminal antecedents of the candidate, assets (including the moveable and immoveable properties of the candidate, spouse and dependents), liabilities of the candidate and his/her educational qualifications. The filing of the affidavits is mandatory and its non-filing will result in the rejection of the nomination paper by the Returning Officer.

As part of the efforts of the Commission to disseminate the information contained in the affidavits to the citizens at the earliest, the Returning Officers will display the copies of these affidavits on Notice Board and make available, on demand, the copies of the affidavits freely to other candidates, general public, media, etc. on the very day of filing of affidavits by a candidate. The copies of these affidavits will also be available in a compiled form with the District Municipal Election Officer, Aizawl District. Any individual or any civil society organizations desirous of obtaining this compiled information can apply to the District Municipal Election Officer with a nominal payment towards copying charges.

The Commission appeals to the citizens, the media and all the interested parties to cooperate with the election authorities for the widest dissemination of this information as contemplated in the directions of the Courts and the Commission.

1. Accounts of Candidates

It is mandatory under the election law for every contesting candidate to maintain and furnish accounts of his election expenditure. The total expenditure which can be incurred or authorized to be incurred by a candidate in connection shall not exceed

'1,00,000/-(Rupees one lakh)only for each Ward. As stipulated under sub-rule (8) of Rule 33 of the Mizoram Municipalities (Election of Councillors) Rules, 2007 as amended in 2010, it is incumbent upon for the Candidates to maintain a daily account of expenditure and to submit it to the Designated Officer/Election Observer three times during campaign period. The Commission has taken a serious note of the illegal use of money power in elections and violation of expenditure norms in various manners and has decided to track such incidents closely for follow-up action.

1. Observers

The Commission will deploy Observers in adequate number to ensure smooth conduct of the forth-coming General Election to the Aizawl Municipal Council. The Observers will be asked to keep a close watch on every stage of the electoral process to ensure free and fair elections. Their names, addresses, designations and their telephone numbers will be publicized in Local newspapers as well as Electronic Media so that the general public can quickly approach them for redressal of grievances, if any. The Observers will be given a detailed briefing by the Commission before their deployment.

1. Conduct of Officials

The Commission expects all officials, including police personnel, engaged in the conduct of elections to discharge their duties in an impartial manner without any fear or favour. All of them shall be deemed to be on deputation to the Commission and shall be subject to its control, supervision and discipline. The conduct of all government officials who have been entrusted with election related responsibilities and duties would remain under constant scrutiny of the Commission.

1. Formation of Polling Parties through Randomization

A Polling Party shall consist of one Presiding Officer + 2(two) Polling Officers (1+2=3). The Polling parties shall be formed randomly, through special application software or by draw of lots. Three-stage randomization will be adopted. First, from a wider database of eligible officials, a shortlist of about 110% of the required numbers will be randomly picked up. This group will be trained for polling duties. In the second stage, from this trained manpower, actual polling parties as required shall be formed by random selection software or by draw of lots in the presence of Election Observers. In the third randomization, the polling stations will be allocated randomly just before the polling party’s departure.

1. District Election Plan

The District Municipal Election Officer will prepare a comprehensive District Election Plan including communication plan for conduct of elections. The communication plan should include all resources such as landline telephones, mobile telephones, etc., to facilitate effective monitoring and control on the day of poll. The DMEO will also open Help Lines and Control Rooms in the office of Deputy Commissioner, Aizawl.

1. Videography & Photography

All critical events will be videographed. District Municipal Election Officer will arrange sufficient number of video and digital cameras and camera teams for the purpose. The events for Videography will include filing of nomination, scrutiny thereof and allotment of symbols, preparations and storage thereafter of Electronic Voting Machines, important public meetings, processions etc. during campaign, process of dispatching of postal ballot papers, polling process in identified vulnerable polling stations, if any, storage of polled EVMs, counting of votes etc. Digital cameras will also be deployed inside the booths wherever needed. The CDs of video recordings will be available on payment to anyone who wishes to obtain copy of the same.

1. Model Code of Conduct

The Model Code of Conduct comes into effect immediately from now onwards and shall remain in force within the geographical limits of the Aizawl Municipality where the elections would be held, till the end of the election process. All the provisions of the Model Code will be applicable to all Candidates, Political Parties, the State Governments and the Union Government from today itself.

1. Appreciation for Best Electoral Practices

In order to strengthen the cause of free and fair elections, the Commission is committed to acknowledge the Election Officials/Village Councils/NGOs, who encourage best electoral practices in election management, greater participation of citizens in the electoral process and observance of Model Code of Conduct. Accordingly, Best Electoral Practices Award shall be given to the following category - Best Polling Party, Best Ward in the observance of Model Code of Conduct, Polling Station which recorded highest Voter turn-out and Oldest Voter-Male & Female.

1. Schedule

The Commission, in due consultation with the State Government, has prepared the schedule for holding First General Election to the Aizawl Municipal Council after taking into consideration all relevant aspects, like the climatic conditions, academic schedules, festivals, prevailing law and order situation in the Municipal area and assessment of other ground realities. Accordingly, the Commission has finalized the following Schedule for General Election to Aizawl Municipal Council:-
 

1. Appeal

The Commission calls upon all the stake-holders - the political parties, the candidates, the voting public and the entire election machinery, to fully appreciate the need for restraint and discipline to ensure free, fair and peaceful First General Election to the Aizawl Municipal Council. The time tested credibility of electoral system and civil society organizations/NGOs in the election processes is our State’s pride. The State Election Commission is fully committed and will strive hard to uphold and add strength to the deeply-rooted democratic traditions of Mizoram.

Sd/- C.ROPIANGA
State Election Commissioner,
 Mizoram.