CUDDALORE: The Election Commission has tightened its hold on the candidates by directing them to furnish details of the number of flags, tubelights, arches and posters to be used in public meetings to the local authorities.

For meetings held in Municipalities, the political party concerned ought to give the expense details to the District Collector and in other places to the local bodies.

Soon after the meeting is over, all the propaganda materials should be removed from the places, thereby clearing the public place for the other political parties to conduct their repspective meeting.

Flag rules

Only the vehicles of the candidates should carry the party flags and not their accompanying vehicles.

For all the public meetings, permission from the police and the respective civic bodies is a must.

According to District Collector and Distrcit Election Officer Gagandeep Singh Bedi, the political parties should also get permission from the police for taking out rallies, by providing the details such as date, route, time etc.

Such rallies should be taken out without causing inconvenience to the public., Mr. Bedi said.

The candidates should submit the list of vehicles for their use as well as for their agents to the Returning Officers concerned and get the car passes.

He further sais that these passes should be prominently displayed on the front windscreen of the vehicles.

On the date of polling only two vehicles would be allowed for each candidate and the vehicles used in campaign without valid permission would be confiscated.

The political parties have been specifically told not to conduct electioneering through public address system before 6 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Curbs on cell phones

The District Election Officer said that cell phones are banned within 100-metre radius of the polling stations and counting centres, and this rule is applicable to the candidates as well as their agents/booth agents.

Each candidate has been allowed a poll expense to a maximum of Rs. 10 lakhs.

Filing dates for expenses

Mr. Bedi said that the candidates could file their accounts on four dates — April 27, May 2, 5 and 9 — between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. with these officials: Cuddalore, Panruti and Nellikuppam - V. Shanmugham, Accounts Officer, District Rural Development Agency,.

Beach Road, Cuddalore; Chidambaram and Kattumannarkoil candidates - Personal Assistant to Collector (Accounts) at Chidambaram Sub-Collector's office.

Bhuvanagiri and Kurinjipadi candidates - V.Durai, Assistant Accounts Officer, Office of the Adi Dravida Welfare Officer; and Vriddhachalam and Mangalore candidates - K.Rajasekaran, Assistant Accounts Officer, Vriddhachalam RDO office.

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