10 Facts About Assembly Elections 2017 In Gujarat And Himachal Pradesh

Photo Voter Slip: To facilitate the voters to know where he/she is enrolled as a voter at a particular polling station and what is his/her serial number in the Electoral roll, the Commission has directed that official voter slip bearing the Photo of the elector (wherever present in the roll) will be distributed atleast 7 days before the date of poll.

All-Women Managed Polling Stations: For the first time, 'All- women Managed Polling Stations' are to be set up in two polling stations for each Assembly Constituency. These stations would have an all women strength including polling staff and police, security personnel. A total of 136 Women managed Polling Stations will be setup for Himachal Pradesh and 182 in Gujarat General Elections to Legislative Assembly, 2017.

Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs): To ensure transparency in voting procedure, polling in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will be conducted using EVMs and VVPATs. VVPAT machines will allow voters to verify that their vote was placed for the intended candidate. This will be the first time that VVPAT machines are used for polling in both the states.

Photographs Of Candidates On EVM Ballot Paper: To facilitate voters from identifying the candidates contesting, the photograph of candidate will be printed on the ballot to be displayed on the EVM or the Ballot Unit and on Postal Ballot Papers. This will avoid the likely confusion when candidates with same or similar names contest from the same constituency.

CCTV Coverage: Critical events in the electoral procedures will be video-graphed. The events for video coverage 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, 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.

Eco-Friendly Substances For Election Campaigning: To curtail the use of materials like plastics, polythene etc that are harmful to the environment, the Commission directed political parties, contesting candidates and their authorized agents etc, to desist from using materials like plastics, polythene etc for the election in both Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.

Monitoring Election Expenditure: To ensure transparency and ease of monitoring election expenditure, candidates would be required to open a separate bank account and incur all election expenses from that account. The Investigation Directorate of Income Tax Department would open Air Intelligence units in the airports of these states and also to gather intelligence and take necessary action against movement of large sum of money in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

Ceiling Election Expenditure For Candidates: The election expenditure ceiling for candidates was revised. The maximum limit of election expenses for the Assembly Constituencies is Rs. 28 lakh per candidate for both the state of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. All candidates are required to furnish their accounts of expenditure within 30 days of declaration of results.

Social Media: A Social Media Cell at ECI level has been set to monitor the performance of the State/UTs and District and to guide them to maximize the use of Social Media, making it more interactive for the general public.

Restrictions On Use Of Loudspeakers: The use of loudspeakers would not be permitted at night between 10.00 pm and 6.00 am. Regulations also laid on using loudspeakers or sound amplifiers in the vicinity of educational institutions like schools and colleges; hospitals, senior citizens homes, sanatoriums and other facilities tending to the sick, infirm or the needy.