Parties have spent ₹1.1 cr since imposition of poll code: Ludhiana DEO

District election officer Sakshi Sawhney on Tuesday said since the imposition of the model code of conduct on March 16, the administration has so far registered the poll expenditure amounting to ₹1.11 crore from the accounts of various political parties in Ludhiana.

The officer teams have been deployed in the field including to keep a close tab over poll expenditure. She also stated that till date, the administration has booked poll seizures of drugs, liquor, cash and other items worth ₹30.16 crore have also been made.

The officer said the expenditure limit set by the Election Commission of India for a candidate in upcoming Lok Sabha elections is ₹95 lakh.

After successful nomination of candidates, any kind of expenditure on electioneering will be booked in the candidate’s account. She added that Atam Nagar, Gill and Ludhiana South constituencies under the Ludhiana Parliamentary constituency (PC), and the Sahnewal assembly segment under Fatehgarh Sahib PC, are expenditure-sensitive. The election teams will keep a close vigil in these constituencies.

57,856 first-time voters enrolled

Sawhney also disclosed that the district administration had enrolled 57,856 first-time voters. As of now, there are 26,89,481 voters in the Ludhiana district, including 14,33,062 men, 12,56,270 women and 149 third gender voters. Of these, 9,35,071 men, 8,19,447 women and 132 third gender voters fall under the Ludhiana parliamentary constituency.

The officer also announced that only five persons, including the candidate, will be allowed to enter the place where the nominations will be filed from May 7 to 14. She said elaborate arrangements had been made to ensure that the nomination process was held smoothly, freely and fairly.

Nominations for the polls would be received from 11 am to 3 pm. She also clarified that the nomination would also be accepted on May 10. Papers would not be submitted on May 11 and 12 due to gazetted holidays. The scrutiny of papers will be held on May 15, and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is May 17. The polling on all 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held on June 1 from 7 am to 6 pm.

Sawhney urged the voters to participate enthusiastically to achieve the target of “Iss Vaar 70 Paar” and assured that the arrangements of lemon water, sweetened water, fans, sheds and seating facilities would be ensured at polling booths. Besides, the administration would also arrange pick-and-drop facilities on June 1.