Press Note:- Schedule for General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir.
The
Legislative Assembly of the State of Jammu & Kashmir was dissolved on 10.07.2008
and the State has been placed under the Governor's rule w.e.f. 10-07-08. This will come to an end on 10-01-09 in the normal course.
By
virtue of its powers, duties and functions under Section 138 read with Section
52 (1) of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, and the decision of the Hon’ble
Supreme Court in Special Reference No.1 of 2002 [AIR 2003 SC 87, (2002) 8 SCC
237], and Section 27 of the Jammu and Kashmir Representation of the People Act,
1957, the Commission is under a constitutional mandate to hold general election
to constitute the new Legislative Assembly in the State before 10-01-09.
ASSEMBLY
CONSTITUENCY
2. Under Section 47 read with Section 48
of the Constitution of J & K, elections are to be held for 87 Assembly Constituency
seats (ACs) in Jammu & Kashmir, out of which 7 seats are reserved for the
Scheduled Castes.
ELECTORAL
ROLLS
3. General Election in the State will be
conducted on the basis of the electoral rolls revised with reference to 01.01.08
as the qualifying date. The electoral roll revision process in the State has been
completed and the final publication made. As per finally published rolls, there
are 65,38,111 electors in the State. The electoral rolls of all the Assembly Constituencies
of the State have been computerized and are available on the website of the Chief
Electoral Officer of the State.
ELECTORS
PHOTO IDENTITY CARDS (EPIC)
Identification
of the voters at the polling booth at the time of poll shall be mandatory. Presently,
the EPIC coverage in the State is 68.00%. All the residual electors are advised to obtain
their EPICs from the EROs of their Assembly Constituencies urgently.
ELECTRONIC
VOTING MACHINES (EVMs)
5.
The poll in the State will be conducted
at all polling stations using EVMs. The Commission has already made arrangements
to ensure availability of adequate number of EVMs for the smooth conduct of elections
in the State. A two- stage randomization of EVMs will be made. In the first stage,
all the EVMs stored in the District storage centre will be randomized for allocation
assembly constituency-wise. After the EVMs in a constituency are prepared for
the poll by the Returning Officer and the ballot units are fitted with ballot
papers, then the EVMs will again be randomized to decide the actual polling stations
in which they will be ultimately used. Both
the randomization processes will be done in the presence of Observers and Candidates
or their election agents.
MEETING
WITH RECOGNISED POLITICAL PARTIES AND MEETINGS WITH THE OFFICIALS OF STATE GOVT.
& GOVT. OF INDIA
6. In view of the recent developments in
the State of Jammu
and Kashmir, the
Commission had a meeting with representatives of recognized National parties and
recognized State parties on 8th September 2008 (Monday) at New Delhi. Thereafter, Commission also held discussions with Chief
Secretary and Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir on 10th
September 2008(Wednesday) and with Home Secretary, Govt. of India on 10th
September at Delhi. Another round of meetings was held on 8th October,
2008(Tuesday) with the representatives of recognized National and State parties
of Jammu and Kashmir and a meeting with the Advisors to the Governor of Jammu
and Kashmir on 7th October 2008 and with the Chief Secretary and Director
General of Police on 8th October 2008. The Commission also had meeting
with the Home Secretary, Government of India on 10th
October 2008 at Delhi. The Commission took note of the inputs provided in
the meetings. The State Government has
assured full cooperation to the Commission in the matter of providing necessary
manpower and materials for the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections.
The Central Government has also assured that adequate Central Police Forces
will be made available to ensure the safety, security and free movement of electors,
candidates, leaders of political parties and polling personnel and guarding of
polling materials and polling stations.
LAW
AND ORDER AND DEPLOYMENT OF FORCES
7. Based on the assessment of the ground
situation, Central Police Forces (CPFs) and State Armed Police (SAPs) drawn from
other States will be deployed during the ensuing general elections. The CPF and
SAP will be used generally for safeguarding the polling stations and for providing
security to the electors and polling personnel at the polling stations on the
poll day. Besides, these forces will be used for securing the strong rooms where
the EVMs are stored and at the counting centers. Wherever needed, the CPF will
be deployed in advance for area domination. The identification of polling stations
requiring coverage by CPF in various assembly constituencies will be made in consultation
with the ECI Observers.
8.
The Commission has been issuing instructions
from time to time with regard to the advance preventive measures to be taken by
the District Magistrates and Police authorities to maintain the Law & Order
and to create atmosphere conducive for the conduct of free and fair elections.
The Commission will be constantly monitoring the ground situation closely and
will take appropriate measures to ensure peaceful, free and fair polls in the
State.
OBSERVERS
9.
The Commission will be deploying
Observers to ensure smooth conduct of forthcoming General Election in the State.
The Observers will be asked to keep a close watch on every stage of the electoral
process to ensure free and fair elections.
CONDUCT
OF OFFICIALS
10.
The Commission expects all officials
engaged in the conduct of elections to discharge their duties in an impartial
manner without any fear or favour. They all shall be deemed to be on deputation
to the Commission and shall be subject to its control, supervision and discipline.
Several instructions have been issued from time to time to ensure impartiality
of officials who are engaged in conduct of elections. The conduct of all government
officials who have been entrusted with election related responsibilities and duties
would remain under constant scrutiny of the Commission and strict action shall
be taken against those officials who are found wanting on any account.
11.
The Commission has already given instructions
that no election related official or Police officer of the rank of Sub Inspector
and above shall be allowed to continue in his home district. Besides, instructions
have also been issued that all the election related officials including the police
officials who have completed three years in a district during last four years
should be transferred out of that district. The Government of the State has also
been asked to transfer all those officers against whom the Commission has recommended
disciplinary action or who have been charged for any lapse during previous elections
or for any election related work, from
the
positions entailing any election work.
12.
The Government of the State has been
instructed to ensure that those officials who stand transferred on the above ground
shall physically move out of their last place of posting and not remain there
on any pretext including leave.
13.
The Commission has also instructed the State Government not to associate any officer
with the electoral process against whom charges have been framed in a court of
law in any case.
PROTECTION
TO SC/ST ELECTORS
14.
As per Section 3 (1) (vii) of Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention
of Atrocities) Act, 1989, whoever, not being a member of a Scheduled Caste or
Scheduled Tribe, forces or intimidates a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled
Tribe not to vote or to vote to a particular candidate or to vote in a manner
other than that provided by law shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term
which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to five years and
with fine. The Commission has asked the State Government to bring these provisions
to the notice of all concerned for prompt action.
POLLING
STATIONS
15.
There are 8,109 polling stations in
the State. For the facility of physically
challenged persons, instructions have been issued to ensure that all polling stations
are, as far as practicable, located at ground floor and ramps are provided. Facilitation
shall also be provided for locating elector's name against a polling station or
a group of polling stations through help lines and facilitation centres.
POLLING
PARTIES AND RANDOMIZATION
16.
Polling parties shall be formed randomly,
through a special software. Three-stage randomization will be adopted. First,
from a wider district database of eligible officials, a shortlist of about 120%
of the required numbers will be randomly picked. This group will be trained for
polling duties. In the second stage, from this trained manpower, actual polling
parties shall be formed by random selection software in the presence of ECI Observers.
In the last stage, the polling stations will be allocated just before the polling
party’s departure by random number generation. The Central Government Employees
will be utilized for the forthcoming elections to the extent possible.
COMMUNICATION
PLAN
17.
The District Election Officers have
been asked to prepare a comprehensive district
election plan including communication plan using multi-mode resources such as
landline telephones, mobile telephones, wireless sets etc., to facilitate effective
monitoring and control on the day of poll. They have also been asked to open Help
Lines /Control Rooms in each AC for the convenience of electors.
VIDEOGRAPHY
18.
The Commission has issued detailed
guidelines for video coverage of all critical events during the election process
and polling at all vulnerable polling booths on the poll day. The digital cameras
will also be deployed inside the booths wherever needed.
MODEL
CODE OF CONDUCT
19.
The Model Code of Conduct comes into
effect immediately from now onwards. All the provisions of the Model Code will
apply to the whole of the State and will be applicable to all candidates, political
parties, the State Government and the Union Government from today itself. Attention
of the political parties and candidates is particularly invited to the following provisions
of the Code:-
“There
shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Mosques,
Churches, Temples or other places of worship shall not be used as forum
for election propaganda.”
SCHEDULE
20.
The Commission has prepared the schedule
for holding General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir after taking into consideration all relevant
aspects like the climatic conditions, academic schedules, festivals, prevailing
law and order situation in the State, availability of Central Police Forces, time
needed for movement and proper deployment of forces, and assessment of other ground
realities.
21.
The Commission after considering all
relevant aspects has decided to recommend to the Governor of Jammu & Kashmir
to issue notifications for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of
the State under the relevant provisions of the Jammu & Kashmir Representation
of the People Act, 1957 as per schedule given in the Annexure.
Election
Commission of India
New Delhi , 19th October,2008
RM
Annexure
Schedule
for General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir
1.
List of 10 (Ten) Assembly Constituencies
going to polls in Phase-I as per following schedule.
| Issue of Gazette Notification | Last Date for nominations | Date for Scrutiny of Nominations | Last date for withdrawal of candidatures | Date of poll if necessary |
| 24-10-2008 (Friday) | 31-10-2008 (Friday) | 01-11-2008 (Saturday) | 03-11-2008 (Monday) | 17-11-2008 (Monday) |
| Assembly
Constituency | Type | District |
| 9-Gurez | General | Bandipora |
| 10-Bandipora | General | Bandipora |
| 11-Sonawari | General | Bandipora |
| 47-Nobra | General | Leh |
| 48-Leh | General | Leh |
| 49-Kargil | General | Kargil |
| 50-Zanskar | General | Kargil |
| 85-Surankote | General | Poonch |
| 86-Mendhar | General | Poonch |
| 87-Poonch-Haveli | General | Poonch |
2. List of 6 (Six) Assembly Constituencies
going to polls in Phase-II as per following schedule.
| Date
of Issue of Gazette Notification | Last
Date for nominations | Date
for Scrutiny of Nominations | Last
date for withdrawal of candidatures | Date
of poll if necessary |
| 29.10.08
(Wednesday) | 05.11.08
(Wednesday) | 06.11.08
(Thursday) | 08.11.08
(Saturday) | 23.11.08
(Sunday) |
| Assembly
Constituency | Type | District |
| 16-Kangan | General | Ganderbal |
| 17-Ganderbal | General | Ganderbal |
| 81-Nowshara | General | Rajouri |
| 82-Darhal | General | Rajouri |
| 83-Rajouri | General | Rajouri |
| 84-Kalakote | General | Rajouri |
3. List of 5 (Five) Assembly Constituencies
going to polls in Phase-III as per following schedule.
| Date
of Issue of Gazette Notification | Last
Date for nominations | Date
for Scrutiny of Nominations | Last
date for withdrawal of candidatures | Date
of poll if necessary |
| 04.11.08
(Tuesday) | 11.11.08
(Tuesday) | 12.11.08
(Wednesday) | 14.11.08
(Friday) | 30.11.08
(Sunday) |
| Assembly
Constituency | Type | District |
| 01-Karnah | General | Kupwara |
| 02-Kupwara | General | Kupwara |
| 03-Lolab | General | Kupwara |
| 04-Handwara | General | Kupwara |
| 05-Langate | General | Kupwara |
4. List of 18 (Eighteen) Assembly Constituencies
going to polls in Phase-IV as per following schedule.
| Date
of Issue of Gazette Notification | Last
Date for nominations | Date
for Scrutiny of Nominations | Last
date for withdrawal of candidatures | Date
of poll if necessary |
| 10.11.08
(Monday) | 17.11.08
(Monday) | 18.11.08
(Tuesday) | 20.11.08
(Thursday) | 07.12.08
(Sunday) |
| Assembly
Constituency | Type | District |
| 06-Uri | General | Baramulla |
| 07-Rafiabad | General | Baramulla |
| 08-Sopore | General | Baramulla |
| 12-Sangrama | General | Baramulla |
| 13-Baramulla | General | Baramulla |
| 14-Gulmarg | General | Baramulla |
| 15-Pattan | General | Baramulla |
| 26-Chadoora | General | Budgam |
| 27-Badgam | General | Budgam |
| 28-Beerwah | General | Budgam |
| 29-Khansahib | General | Budgam |
| 30-Chrar-i-Sharief | General | Budgam |
| 57-Gulabgarh | General | Reasi |
| 58-Reasi | General | Reasi |
| 59-Gool
Arnas | General | Reasi |
| 60-Udhampur | General | Udhampur |
| 61-Chenani
| SC | Udhampur |
| 62-Ramnagar | General | Udhampur |
5. List of 11 (Eleven) Assembly Constituencies
going to polls in Phase-V as per following schedule.
| Date
of Issue of Gazette Notification | Last
Date for nominations | Date
for Scrutiny of Nominations | Last
date for withdrawal of candidatures | Date
of poll if necessary |
| 17.11.08
(Monday) | 24.11.08
(Monday) | 25.11.08
(Tuesday) | 27.11.08
(Thursday) | 13.12.08 (Saturday) |
| Assembly
Constituency | Type | District |
| 31-Tral | General | Pulwama |
| 32-Pampore | General | Pulwama |
| 33-Pulwama | General | Pulwama |
| 34-Rajpora | General | Pulwama |
| 35-Wachi | General | Shopian |
| 36-Shopian | General | Shopian |
| 63-Bani | General | Kathua |
| 64-Basohli | General | Kathua |
| 65-Kathua | General | Kathua |
| 66-Billawar | General | Kathua |
| 67-Hiranagar | SC | Kathua |
6. List of 16 (Sixteen) Assembly Constituencies
going to polls in Phase-VI as per following schedule.
| Date
of Issue of Gazette Notification | Last
Date for nominations | Date
for Scrutiny of Nominations | Last
date for withdrawal of candidatures | Date
of poll if necessary |
| 22.11.08
(Saturday) | 29.11.08
(Saturday) | 01.12.08
(Monday) | 03.12.08
(Wednesday) | 17.12.08
(Wednesday) |
| Assembly
Constituency | Type | District |
| 37-Noorabad | General | Kulgam |
| 38-Kulgam | General | Kulgam |
| 39-Home-shalibugh | General | Kulgam |
| 40-Anantnag | General | Anantnag |
| 41-Devsar | General | Kulgam |
| 42-Doru | General | Anantnag |
| 43-Kokernag | General | Anantnag |
| 44-Shangus | General | Anantnag |
| 45-Bijbehara | General | Anantnag |
| 46-Pahalgam | General | Anantnag |
| 51-Kishtwar | General | Kishtwar |
| 52-Inderwal | General | Kishtwar |
| 53-Doda | General | Doda |
| 54-Bhaderwah | General | Doda |
| 55-Ramban | SC | Ramban |
| 56-Banihal | General | Ramban |
7. List of 21 (Twenty One) Assembly Constituencies
going to polls in Phase-VII as per following schedule.
| Date
of Issue of Gazette Notification | Last
Date for nominations | Date
for Scrutiny of Nominations | Last
date for withdrawal of candidatures | Date
of poll if necessary |
| 26.11.08
(Wednesday) | 03.12.08
(Wednesday) | 04.12.08
(Thursday) | 06.12.08
(Saturday) | 24.12.08
(Wednesday) |
| Assembly
Constituency | Type | District |
| 18-Hazratbal | General | Srinagar |
| 19-Zadibal | General | Srinagar |
| 20-Idgah | General | Srinagar |
| 21-Khanyar | General | Srinagar |
| 22-Habbakadal | General | Srinagar |
| 23-Amirakadal | General | Srinagar |
| 24-Sonawar | General | Srinagar |
| 25-Batamaloo | General | Srinagar |
| 68-Samba | SC | Samba |
| 69-Vijaypur | General | Samba |
| 70-Nagrota | General | Jammu |
| 71-Gandhinagar | General | Jammu |
| 72-Jammu
East | General | Jammu |
| 73-Jammu
West | General | Jammu |
| 74-Bishnah | General | Jammu |
| 75-R.S.Pura
| SC | Jammu |
| 76-Suchetgarh | General | Jammu |
| 77-Marh | General | Jammu |
| 78-Raipur
Domana | SC | Jammu |
| 79-Akhnoor | General | Jammu |
| 80-Chhamb
| SC | Jammu |
8. The dates of counting and completion of
the elections will be 28.12.2008 (Sunday) and 31.12.2008 (Wednesday) respectively.
(Release ID :43854)