Raipur:
With the announcement of assembly polls in five states including Chhattisgarh, the model code of conduct came into force on Friday in the state where a two-phased polling will be held in November.
"With the announcement of poll schedules, district election officers have been directed to implement the model code of conduct," Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Kujur told reporters.
As many as 18 Maoist-affected constituencies of the state's southern region would witness polling in the first phase on November 11, while the rest of the 72 constituencies would go to polls in the second phase on November 19.
"Eighteen constituencies in Bastar, Bijapur, Kondagaon, Sukma, Kondagaon, Kanker and Rajnandgaon will go to polls in the first phase," Kujur said.
Gazette notification for the first phase will be issued on October 18, with filing of nominations to begin on the same day, he said.
Final date for filing nominations has been scheduled on October 25, after which scrutiny of nominations would be completed by the next day.
Contestants may withdraw their name by October 28, well before the first phase of polling on November 11.
Similarly, the gazette notification for the second phase will be issued on October 25.
The last date to file nominations will be November 1 and scrutiny will be completed by the next day.
Contestants may withdraw their candidatures until November 4 after which 72 constituencies would go to polls on Novemeber 19, Kujur said.