TFP Bureau, Raipur; April 5, 2024: The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer held a press conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024, to provide updates on the preparations for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 in three constituencies: Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund, and Kanker.
1. Nomination Details: Filing of nomination papers for the second phase commenced on March 28, 2024. As of now, a total of 95 nominations from 52 candidates have been received for this phase.
2. Electoral Roll Nomination Deadline: The last date for electoral roll nomination related to the Lok Sabha constituencies of the second phase has been extended to April 4, 2024.
3. Polling Stations: A total of 6567 polling stations, including 02 assistant polling stations, have been designated for the second phase.
4. EVM Randomization: The first randomization of EVM machines has been completed at the District Election Officer level, ensuring the availability of the required equipment.
5. Postal Ballot Voting: The process of voting through postal ballot in convenience centers will commence from April 6, 2024.
6. Code of Conduct Violations: A total of 249 complaints regarding violations of the code of conduct have been received, with action taken on all complaints at the office level.
7. Publicity Permissions: 335 applications related to various permissions related to publicity have been received, with action taken on all applications.
8. Defacement of Property: Instances of defacement of property during the Code of Conduct include banners (69,203), posters (1,11,285), and wall writings (1,36,187).
9. Seizure Report: The seizure report during the code of conduct includes cash, liquor, drugs/narcotics, precious metals, and other seizures, totaling to a value of 31.79 Cr.
10. Vehicle Requirements: A total of 11,644 vehicles will be required for transporting EVMs, VVPATs, polling parties, police/security forces, and other election-related purposes.
11. Helicopter Transportation: 1,003 individuals will be transported via helicopters to vote in 167 polling stations, with 10 helicopters requested from the Election Commission of India.
12. GPS Installation: GPS devices will be installed in all vehicles transporting EVMs and VVPATs, totaling approximately 11,644 vehicles.
The briefing highlighted the meticulous planning and extensive measures undertaken to ensure the smooth conduct of the Lok Sabha elections, emphasizing transparency, efficiency, and adherence to electoral protocols.
