The Haryana State Election Commission on Thursday announced schedule for the municipal elections, to be held next month, with minimum qualification and functional toilet at place of residence among the eligibility criteria for candidates.
State Election Commissioner Rajiv Sharma said polling would be held on May 22 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. and votes would be counted at all polling stations after the polls close, the same day.
Results would be declared immediately after the counting, he added.
As many as 15,20,456 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise, Mr Sharma said at a press conference in Panchkula where he announced the schedule.
He said the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect, in the municipal areas where polls are to be conducted.
A person would be disqualified who fails to pay arrears of the electricity bills; who has not passed matriculation or its equivalent examination from any recognised institution or Board; or who fails to submit self-declaration that he has a functional toilet at his residence, the SEC said.
He said minimum qualification for a women candidate or a candidate belonging to Scheduled Caste would be middle standard (VIII) pass. In case of a women candidate from SC category the minimum qualification would be Class V pass.
Referring to the amendments, Mr Sharma said a person would also be disqualified who has not been convicted but charges have been framed in a criminal case for an offence punishable with imprisonment for not less than 10 years; who fails to pay arrear of any kind due on him to any Primary Agriculture Co-operative Society, District Central Co-operative Bank and District Primary Co-operative Agriculture Rural Development Bank. Mr Sharma said notice inviting nominations will be published on April 29.
The nomination papers could be filed from May 5 to 11, list of nomination papers received shall be posted from May 5 to 11, and their scrutiny on May 12 and last date for withdrawal would be May 13.
He said the polls would be held in 385 wards of 15 Municipal Councils — Charkhi Dadri, Hansi, Kaithal, Narnaul, Tohana, Fatehabad, Sohna, Bahadurgarh, Narwana, Jind, Thanesar, Hodal, Palwal, Mandi Dabwali, and Gohana. – PTI
Functional toilet at residence among the eligibility criteria for candidates
