Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar speaks during a press conference for the announcement of the schedule of elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
Credit: PTI Photo
Ranchi: Filing of nomination papers for 43 assembly constituencies of Jharkhand going to polls on November 13 in phase one will begin on Friday, an election official said on Thursday.
The nomination exercise, to continue till October 25, will start at 11 am and conclude at 3 pm.
The Jharkhand assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 13 and November 20, while the counting of votes will take place on November 23.
"Nomination process for 43 assembly constituencies going to polls on November 13 will begin tomorrow. Nominations by candidates can be filed between 11 am to 3 pm barring holidays," Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K Ravi Kumar said.
Kumar said only five persons, including the candidate, will be allowed to enter the Returning Officer's chamber to file nomination.
"The security deposit for general candidates will be Rs 10,000 while the same for the SC/ST category has been fixed at Rs 5,000," Kumar told reporters here.
A total of 2.60 crore electors, including 11.84 lakh first-time voters and 1.13 lakh persons with disabilities (PwD), third gender and senior citizens over 85 years of age, are likely to exercise their franchise in the upcoming elections.
The date for scrutiny of nominations is October 28, while the last date for the withdrawal of candidatures has been fixed as October 30 for the first phase of elections, the official said.
The 43 constituencies going to polls on November 13 include Kodarma, Barkatha, Barhi, Barkagaon, Hazaribagh, Baharagora, Jamshedpur East, Jamshedpur West, Ichagarh, Ranchi, Hatia, Panki, Daltonganj, Bishrampur, Hussainabad, Garhwa and Bhawanathpur.
The ST constituencies are Ghatsila, Potka, Seraikella, Chaibasa, Majhgaon, Jaganathpur, Manoharpur, Chakradharpur, Kharsawan, Tamar, Torpa, Khunti, Mandar, Sisai, Gumla, Bishunpur, Simdega, Kolebira, Lohardaga and Manika.
In addition, SC constituencies – Simaria, Chatra, Jugsalai, Kanke, Latehar and Chhatarpur – are also scheduled to go to polls on November 13.
Kumar said candidates with criminal antecedents are required to publish information in this regard in newspapers and through television channels on three occasions during the campaign period.
A political party that sets up candidates with criminal antecedents is also required to publish information about the criminal background of its nominees, both on its website and also in newspapers and television channels, on three occasions, he added.