Raipur: The model code of conduct came into force Saturday following the announcement of Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh by the Election Commission of India.
As many as 18 Maoist-affected constituencies of the state would witness polling in the first phase on November 12, while the rest 72 constituencies would vote in the second phase on November 20, the EC announced Saturday.
Addressing reporters, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Subrat Sahoo said that district election officers had been directed to strictly ensure the implementation of the model code of conduct.
Eighteen constituencies in Bastar, Bijapur, Kondagaon, Sukma, Kondagaon, Kanker and Rajnandgaon will go to polls in the first phase, Sahoo said.
The gazette notification for the first phase will be issued on October 16 and filing of nominations would begin on the same day, he said.
The final date for filing nominations is October 23 and scrutiny of nominations would be completed by the next day, he said.
Contestants may withdraw their nominations by October 26 for the first phase, he said.
Similarly, the gazette notification for the second phase will be issued on October 26 while the last date to file nominations will be November 2and scrutiny will be completed by the next day, the official informed.
Candidates can withdraw their nominations till November 5 after which 72 constituencies would go to polls on November 20, Sahoo said.
Votes will be counted on December 11, he added.
In each Assembly constituency, five "pink booth" polling stations, to be completely managed by women, have been set up, he said.
Voter help desks will also be set up in each polling booths while for the first time VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) machines will be used along with EVMs (electronic voting machines), he said.
According to the Election Commission, there are total 1,85,45,819 voters including 92,95,301 men, 92,49,459 women and 1,059 third-gender voters in the state.
The state has 23,632 polling booths, out of which, 19,240 are in rural and 4,392 in urban areas, he said.
Of the total polling stations, 5,625 are sensitive ones, Sahoo added.
Out of 90 constituencies in 27 districts, 18 in 16 districts are Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected and sufficient security forces are being arranged for polls, he said.
After the model code of conduct came into effect, all hoardings and advertisements put up on government expense will be removed, he said.
The BJP is in power in the state since 2003 and in the 2013 Assembly polls, it got 49 seats while the Congress won 39 and one seat each was won by the BSP and an Independent.
