Electioneering for the May 16 Assembly elections will come to a close on Saturday, with the Election Commission issuing an advisory on roadshows that various political parties normally organise to mark the end of their campaign.
The State Chief Electoral Officer has urged all parties to observe restraint while organising such roadshows and ensure that they are peaceful. The Commission has also directed the police to take stern pre-emptive measures to prevent untoward incidents. The Election Commission has also clamped a ban on slanted electronic media programmes that might give an impression of being election oriented. The Commission has also announced the list of 10 types of documents that can be submitted as identity proof during voting, apart from the voter identity cards and the photograph-affixed voter slip. Those who do not possess either the electoral card or the voter slip can use their passport, driving licence, photograph- affixed passbook of banks, except cooperative banks, and post offices, pension documents, PAN card, NPR smart card, MGNREGA labour card, smart card of health insurance schemes of the Health Department, the official identity card of MP and MLA and photograph-affixed service identity card issued to employees in the public sector undertakings owned by Central and State governments.
The Election Commission has also issued a direction to presiding officers of polling booths not to deny franchise to voters citing spelling mistakes in the electoral cards. With regard to expatriate voters, production of original passport is mandatory for casting their votes. The election authorities have decided to go in for webcasting in 3,142 booths in order to ensure smooth polling. The district electoral offices and the Chief Electoral Officer’s office have all facilities to view the webcasting.
