The Election Commission of India have announced the poll dates for Gujarat assembly polls.
Speaking to reporters, Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Joti said that the elections in Gujarat will be held in two stages on 9 December and 14 December.
The date of filing of nominations for the first phase of Gujarat polls covering 89 constituencies in 19 districts will be November 14 and the last date will be November 21. The scrutiny of nominations will take place the next day and the last day of withdrawal will be November 24.
In the second phase, covering 93 seats in 14 districts, the nominations will open on November 20. The last date of nominations will be November 27. Scrutiny will be done on November 28 and the last date for withdrawal will be November 30.
Model code of conduct comes into effect immediately from today. This will also be applicable to the ‘union government’ while announcing new projects or schemes.
Candidates will be required to open new bank accounts for the election expenditure, which has been kept at Rs 20 lakh per candidate.
Total number of voters taking part in this year’s elections will be 4.33 crore, said Joti. This year’s poll will have VVPAT machines attached to EVMs at all 50,128 polling stations.
Joti said, “After successfully implementing VVPAT machines in Goa assembly polls and all the subsequent bypolls, we now have good experience of using the machines.”
The number of polling stations have now increased by over 12,000. Counting will take place on 18 December, the same as Himachal Pradesh.
The present term of Gujarat assembly expires on 22 January 2018.