Ludhiana West bypoll: 24×7 CCTV surveillance of booze bottling plants, says DC

To enhance the voting experience for the upcoming elections, the district administration is set to establish 10 model polling booths, aiming to provide a more inclusive and efficient process. These special booths will include one managed entirely by women, another staffed by individuals with disabilities (PwD), and an eco-friendly “green” polling station. Voters will be able to cast their ballots from 7 am to 6 pm, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 23.

Deputy commissioner (DC)-cum-district election officer (DEO) Himanshu Jain also instructed officials to remove all political posters and hoardings from public properties under the jurisdiction of the Ludhiana West assembly. He also mentioned that 24×7 CCTV surveillance of breweries, bottling plants, warehouses, and godowns to prevent unauthorised liquor distribution will be ensured and emphasised continuous monitoring of liquor vends and thorough checks of vacant houses, plots, and flats near these facilities, which could be used for illicit liquor storage.

While addressing the media the DC stated that a total of 1,74,437 voters will exercise their right to vote on June 19 during the polling for the Ludhiana West byelection. The administration is fully prepared to conduct the by-election in a free, fair, and transparent manner.

Jain stated that 192 polling stations across 66 locations have been established to facilitate voting. The voter demographic includes 89,602 males, 84,825 females, and 10 individuals identifying as third gender in the Ludhiana West assembly. Additionally, the electorate comprises 100 service voters, 2,039 senior citizens, 2,896 young voters (aged 18-19), 17 overseas voters, and 1,234 PwD.

According to the election programme, the last date for filing nominations is June 2, and the scrutiny of nomination papers will occur on June 3. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is June 5. The polling will be held on June 19 from 7 am to 6 pm, with counting on June 23.

Further he added that the nominations will be accepted between 11 am and 3 pm, with only five individuals, including the candidate, allowed during the filing process. Candidates must be registered voters in any constituency within the state. Security deposits are set at ₹10,000 for general category candidates and ₹5,000 for SC/ST candidates, to be deposited before or during the nomination filing. A certified copy of the voter list must accompany the nomination form for candidates from outside Ludhiana. Recognised parties require one proposer, while independents and unrecognised parties need ten.

Campaigning expenditure capped at ₹40L

Jain added that the maximum limit for election expenses for an assembly constituency has been fixed at ₹40 lakh. Furthermore, any election expenditure incurred by candidates or political parties exceeding ₹10,000 must be made using a crossed account payee cheque, draft, RTGS, NEFT, or any other electronic mode linked to the candidate’s bank account opened for election purposes. The rates for every election item have been set by the Election Commission. To assist in monitoring of electioneering, several flying squad teams (FST), static surveillance teams (SST), video surveillance teams (VST), and video viewing teams (VVT) have already been formed.

App showing candidates’ criminal history developed

The DEO also mentioned that the ECI has developed the Candidate App Suvidha, which allows candidates and political parties to allocate public spaces for meetings and rallies. This application can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and helps users track their nomination and permission statuses. Additionally, “Know Your Candidate” (KYC) app has also been developed to inform voters about candidates’ criminal antecedents.

Jain emphasised the administration’s commitment to ensuring a peaceful and transparent electoral process, enabling all voters to exercise their democratic rights without hindrance. He also directed all enforcement agencies to strictly adhere to the Model Code of Conduct, stating that strict action would be taken in case of any violations within the district, in accordance with ECI guidelines.

Jain reiterated the district administration’s commitment to upholding ECI guidelines, fostering a transparent and fair electoral process. He called for cooperation from all stakeholders to ensure the bypoll is conducted smoothly and peacefully.