Campaigning for 5th & final phase ends

478 MCC violation complaints received, 248 disposed-off: Narula

19/12/2014

JAMMU: After a record turnout of voters in the previous four phases, high-voltage campaigning for the fifth and final leg of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, to be held on December 20, ended today, with a number of high-profile candidates, including Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, trying their luck at the hustings in the 20 seats.
High-pitched campaigning went on unaffected by the November 27 militant attack in Arnia border belt of Jammu district in which 12 people – 5 civilians, 3 security men and 4 militants – were killed.
As many as 213 candidates, including Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Ministers Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla, Manohar Lal Sharma, Ajay Sadhotra, former MP and Ministers Lal Singh, Talib Hussain (both BJP) and Jitendra Babu Singh and former Deputy Speaker Hyder Malik will be battling it out for 20 Assembly seats of Jammu, Rajouri and Kathua districts.
An official of the Election Commission said that 12 candidates withdrew their nominations on the last day yesterday, leaving 213 candidates in the fray.
In view of the high turnout in previous phases in Kashmir Valley compared to previous polls, Jammu is expected to have a high voter turnout.
“Campaigning has ended at 1600 hours today. It was a peaceful campaigning and we expect a high voter turnout,” Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K, Umang Narula said.
As many as 18,28,904 eligible voters, comprising 9,59,011 men and 8,69,891 women, will exercise their franchise at 2,366 polling stations set up across the three border districts.
BJP has high stakes in this phase as it had got the most (10) seats in 2008 Assembly elections followed by Congress with 5 seats, NC 2, PDP 1 and two seats going to Independents.
BJP fired up its campaigning with all the top guns led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Smiti Irani, Uma Bharati, J P Nadda, Dr Jitendra Singh, and star campaigners Vinod Khanna, Hema Malini, Navjot Singh Sidhu wooing voters.
Modi adressed 4 rallies in Rajouri, Jammu, Billawar and Kathua Assembly segments and appealed the people to give BJP a majority to ensure development and oust the dynastic rule of NC, PDP and Congress.
Since announcement of Assembly Elections in the State, as many as 478 election related complaints were received in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K from various quarters.
According to the CEO, Mr. Umang Narula, out of 478 complaints of different nature relating to the violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) received from various stakeholders, 248 complaints have so far been disposed-off and remaining 232 are under investigation. Each complaint has been carefully scrutinized and disposed-off as per the norms of Election Commission of India, says the CEO.
In order to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the State, the authorities had taken several precautionary measures. Under these measures, as many as 11725 licensed Arms were got deposited and 6 such licences were impounded. Besides, 2511 cases were put-up under preventive sections of Cr.PC, 1793 persons bounded over and 3045 persons were bounded down under Cr.PC. As many as 5633 non-bailable warrants were also executed, the CEO informed.
In addition to the above, 92 incidents of violence relating to the poll campaign were reported from different parts of the State, which resulted injury to 117 people. The Flying squads constituted by the authorities made seizure of 1305 CGI sheets, 80 number of pipes, 40 vehicles, 19 bottles of liquor, cash amounting to Rs. 110 lakh and other items relating to the publicity material in violation to the MCC from different parts of the State, informed Mr. Narula.

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