Kerala - Kochi   

UDF candidate, five others file details of poll expenses

KOCHI: Six candidates contesting the byelection to the Ernakulam Assembly constituency filed details of their campaign expenses, the third such submission, before the finance officer at the district collectorate on Tuesday.

UDF candidate Dominic Presentation had spent Rs. 2.17 lakh till Monday. As per the details filed on October 31, the LDF candidate P.N. Seenulal and the BJP candidate Shobha Surendran had spent Rs. 97,350 and Rs. 1.86 lakh respectively on campaign till the day before.

Besides the UDF candidate, five other candidates also filed the details on Tuesday. Three candidates, two with names remotely similar to the UDF candidate’s and the other with a similar name but initials different from the LDF candidate’s, had spent nothing apart from the Rs. 5,000 they had deposited at the time of filing nominations.

Finance officer P.J. Joseph had asked the candidates to file relevant vouchers and copies of printed campaign materials along with the account details.

A special squad led by the returning officer K.N. Raveendranath removed, till the end of last month, 4,892 campaign materials displayed in public places in violation of the election code.

Mr. Presentation’s 1,289 posters, 67 flex boards, 40 banners, and 396 flags were removed this way. Besides, 22 graffiti writings had been erased.

The LDF candidate’s 1,607 posters, 20 banners, 49 flex boards and 14 flags were removed in addition to erasing 12 graffiti writings. Ms. Surendran’s 761 posters, 21 flex boards, and 75 flags were removed.

District Collector M. Beena, who is also the district electoral officer, has said that all public meetings and rallies as part of campaigning should end 48 hours ahead of the polling. Exhibition of films or broadcast of campaign related materials through electronic media has also been banned for the period.

Entertainment programmes like musical concerts or plays to attract the voters should also be avoided during the period.

Dr. Beena has said that use of mobile phones in polling stations has been banned. The presiding officer, election observer, micro observer and security personnel can carry mobile phones on silent mode within the 100-metre limit of the polling booths. Keeping weapons in polling stations or in the nearby areas has been prohibited.

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