Punjab elections 2022: Mandatory for candidates to declare criminal antecedents, says Karuna Raju
Chandigarh, February 8: With the Assembly elections 2022 nearing, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Punjab, Dr S Karuna Raju on Tuesday reiterated that political parties and contesting candidates must not miss the deadlines to publish criminal antecedents in newspapers and electronic media fixed by the Election Commission of India.
He said the deadline to publish first advertisement to declare the criminal antecedents of contesting candidates in newspapers and television had expired on February 8.
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Punjab elections 2022: Candidates told not to miss deadlines to publish criminal antecedents .[/caption]
As per the directions, it is mandatory for the contesting candidate and the political party concerned to declare the criminal antecedents of the candidate in newspapers and television for three times and the first advertisement had to be published within first four days of withdrawal of nominations.
Dr Karuna Raju said as per the schedule, the second advertisement could be given between 5th to 8th days of withdrawal of nominations. While, the third advertisement could be given from the 9th day till the last day of campaign (the second day prior to date of poll), he added.
The CEO said the political party concerned and candidates would have to get this declaration published in the newspapers in a particular region thrice in 12 font size at appropriate place.
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Punjab elections 2022: Candidates told not to miss deadlines to publish criminal antecedents.[/caption]
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He said advertisements had to be appeared in at least one national daily newspaper having circulation beyond 75,000 as stated by DAVP/Audit Bureau of Circulation in publicity available records and one local vernacular daily newspaper published within geographical territory of the state/UT, in the local vernacular language, with a circulation of at least 25,000, as stated by DAVP/Audit Bureau of Circulation in publicity available records.
The same must be telecasted for at least seven seconds in the prescribed format for TV channels to ensure the implementation of the directions in letter and in spirit, he said, adding that the publicity of information regarding criminal past of the candidates should be telecasted on TV channels from 8 am to 10 pm in local language or English.
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Punjab elections 2022: Candidates told not to miss deadlines to publish criminal antecedents.[/caption]
He clarified that those candidates, who had not been either convicted or there was no pending criminal case against them, need not to publish such advertisements.
Dr Raju also directed district election officers (DEOs) and returning officers (ROs) to keep watch on all political parties and candidates that they were publishing the criminal antecedents in given time period and maintain the record.
The Punjab Assembly election are scheduled for February 20 and the result will be declared on March 10
-PTC News
