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Goa elections on June 2

J. Venkatesan

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday announced that elections to the Goa Assembly would be held on June 2. The Model Code of Conduct comes into effect immediately. The Code will apply to the whole of the State of Goa and will be applicable to all candidates, political parties, the State Government and the Union Government.

The Commission said that the notification would be issued on May 8; the last date for filling nominations, May 15. Scrutiny will take place the next day and the last date for withdrawal of candidature, May 18. Counting of votes will take place on June 5. It said that elections would be conducted at all polling stations using EVMs. The Commission has already made arrangements to ensure availability of adequate number of EVMs for the smooth conduct of elections.

It said that based on the assessment of ground situation, Central Para Military Forces (CPMFs) and State Armed Police (SAP) drawn from other States will be deployed during the ensuing general election. The CPMF and SAP will be used generally for safeguarding the polling stations and for providing security to the electors and polling personnel at the polling stations on the poll day. Besides, these forces will be used for securing the strong rooms where the EVMs are stored and at the counting centres. Wherever needed, the CPMF will be deployed in advance for area domination. The identification of polling stations requiring coverage by CPMF in various Assembly constituencies will be made in consultation with the ECI Observers.

The Commission will be deploying General and Expenditure Observers to ensure smooth conduct of the election. The observers will be asked to keep a close watch on the electoral process to ensure free and fair elections. The Commission has also instructed the State Government not to associate any officer with the electoral process against whom charges have been framed in a court of law in any case.

The Commission has issued detailed guidelines for video coverage of all critical events during the election process and polling at sensitive/hypersensitive polling booths on the poll day. The digital cameras will also be deployed inside the booths wherever possible.

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