Schedule for elections to JMC, ULBs in Jammu announced

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar on Tuesday announced the schedule for the Urban Local Body polls in district Jammu having one Municipal Corporation and seven Municipal Committees.
Addressing media persons here at a press conference, the DC informed that the ULB elections in the district will be held during the 1st phase and the voting will take place on October 8, 2018.
“The nomination process started from today will continue till September 25 and the scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on September 26, while candidature can be withdrawn by September 28. The polling hours will be from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM”, he informed.
He said for the first time, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be used in the ULB polls and elections will be on party-basis. He said 50 ROs have been appointed in the district for smooth conduct of elections. One EVM would be installed in each polling station with a reserve machine for the backup, he added.
Responding to media queries, he said foolproof security arrangements will be put in place to ensure smooth elections while exercise is on to identify sensitive and hyper sensitive polling stations.
The DC further informed that the Model Code of Conduct has already come into force and asked the candidates and political parties to follow the guidelines.
Meanwhile, he said that voter awareness and training programmes will be conducted to ensure maximum voter turnout. The training programmes for polling officers will be conducted from September 25 to October 5, he said, adding that the DEO has been designated as appellant authority for the elections.
The DC appealed to all voters to take part in the democratic process.
Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner convened a meeting of Nodal officers and held a detailed discussion on various aspects of Municipal Elections including Law and Order, implementation of Model Code of Conduct, Media Certification and Monitoring Committee, Training Management, Communication Plan and Computerization, helpline and complaint, manpower Management, Printing of Ballot Papers, Expenditure Monitoring, Election Material Management and Distribution Collection, Formulation of Transport Plan Management, EVMs, Counting Plan and Arrangements, Nodal Officer SVEEP and Observers.