EC releases notification, 43 file papers: CEO

Hyderabad: The Election Commission today released the notification for the Assembly polls, according to CEO Rajat Kumar.

Addressing the media at Secretariat here today, the CEO said the EC received reports from 112 segments and a total of 43 candidates filed their nominations, more from BJP so far and the number may change when the last reports arrive. The elections will be conducted from 7 am to 5 pm in general segments and from 7 am to 4 pm in naxal-infested 13 segments, he said. “So far, we have seized Rs 77.62 crore cash, liquor worth Rs 2.63 crore and closed down 4,038 illegal belt shops and the sleuths have done good job”, the CEO said, adding 2,251 complaints on C-Vigil were received and 81 are pending.

The total number of the voters, after deletions and additions, are put at 2.73 crore (1,39,35,7505 males, 1,36,91,290 females and 2,615 third gender) to caste their franchise in the polls while the figure was 2.83 crore in 2014. The expenditure of the elections will go into the accounts of the candidates, who filed their nominations and the political parties should refrain from luring the people and announce sops in the meetings against the poll code. Star campaigners have to give their names in seven days and the national parties will have 40 star campaigners and the regional parties will have 20 star campaigners, Rajat Kumar said. The leaders of the political parties have to submit affidavits about criminal background and liabilities, if any, he said.

To a query on complaints against the political leaders by rival parties, the CEO said the EC has received written clarifications and are examining them. We have also received a plaint against Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and will look into details for veracity. The political leaders like T Harish Rao, Revanth Reddy and others gave written clarifications that they did not violate the model code of conduct and will refrain from making comments that violate the code, he said.

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