As many as 13 special squads will be activated from Saturday to ensure that the election code of conduct is strictly enforced across the district. Each Assembly segment will have a five-member team.
Banners, buntings, boards and posters cannot be displayed in public places, on electric or telephone posts and walls of government and quasi-government establishments. Political parties and candidates will be asked to remove such election-related materials at their cost if these have been already put up. They will also have to pay for the expenses if these are removed by squads in-charge of enforcing the poll code of conduct. The expenses will be treated as part of election expenditure of the candidate concerned. Written permission of owners of private land will have to be furnished before election officials if election-related publicity materials are put up there.
Those violating election procedures are liable for punishment with one-year jail term or fine up to Rs.5,000. District Collector C.A. Latha, who is also the District Election Officer, has called for a report on polling booths that are prone to problems of any kind to strengthen security there. Polling stations where a single candidate polled more than 75 per cent votes, polling stations where re-polling was held in the past, and places where Maoist presence was reported are considered ‘problem’ polling stations. Special security arrangements will be made in such polling stations.An all-party meeting of leaders of political parties has been convened on Saturday.
