Punjab Assembly Polls: Filing of nomination to begin from January 25, last date of withdrawal on February 4

Chandigarh: Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab Dr S Karuna Raju has said that the filing of nomination papers for the upcoming Vidhan Sabha 2022 elections would start with issuance of notification on January 25 (Tuesday) and would continue till February 1. 

Briefing the media on Sunday, he said that the scrutiny of nomination will be done on February 2, while the last date of withdrawal of candidature is February 4, adding "The scrutiny of the nominations would be done on February 2 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature would be February 4." 

The nominations for the upcoming elections would be filed in the office of respective returning officers from 11 am to 3 pm from January 25 to February 1, 2022, Raju reportedly said, adding that the nominations papers are to be filed in FORM 2B. 

According to him, blank forms are available with the respective Returning Officer. Typed nomination papers will also be accepted provided they are in the prescribed format, adding that in order to qualify for a Vidhan Sabha seat, a candidate should be registered as an elector for any Vidhan Sabha Constituency of state.

"To satisfy the concerned Returning Officer on this point, candidates should produce a certified copy of the relevant entry of the electoral roll in force," he said.

A certificate is also required to make and subscribe to an oath or affirmation in the prescribed form before the concerned Returning Officer or any other person is authorized by the Election Commission of India, he added. 

No question of post-poll alliance with Congress, AAP: Amarinder Singh

Former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has announced that his newly-formed Punjab Lok Congress will not form a post-poll alliance with the Indian National Congress or Aam Aadmi Party for the upcoming Assembly polls in the state. He expressed confidence in his party`s alliance with BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) to win the elections. 

Taking to Twitter, Media Advisor of Singh Raveen Thukral said, "No question of post-poll alliance with Indian National Congress or Aam Aadmi Party. Punjab Lok Congress will win in alliance with BJP and SAD (Sanyukt). Hope Election Commission of India relaxes curbs soon so I can visit all 117 constituencies to talk to people and take our message to them."

The former Chief Minister also informed that he will be contesting the elections from Patiala Urban.

"Will contest from Patiala, won`t leave my family`s home of 300 years. Will seek votes on my own government`s achievements and Prime Minister Narendra Modi government`s accomplishments at Centre: Capt Amarinder," Thukral tweeted. 

The PLC currently has 37 of the 117 seats in Punjab as a part of its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and SAD (Sanyukt). Discussions on the possibility of another five seats for the party are in progress. 

Bhagwant Singh Mann challenges CM Channi to contest from Dhuri

Aam Aadmi Party Punjab Chief Ministerial candidate Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday challenged Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to contest against him from Dhuri. Mann's statement came after Channi challenged him to contest from Chamkaur Sahib. 

"I am getting a lot of love. Every time I have come to Dhuri, I have always received love. Whenever I come here, the people of Dhuri always break their own record of love they had given to me so far," Mann told the media persons in Dhuri. 

"Yesterday, Charanjit Singh Channi challenged me to fight from Chamkaur Sahib. That`s a reserved seat, so I can`t fight from there. That`s why I said that if you have so much passion to fight against me, then you come to Dhuri," he added. 

On being asked about fear of arrest of Delhi minister Satyendra Jain, Mann said, "Even before this, there was Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation raid at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal`s house. Nothing was found."

Earlier on Sunday, Mann visited Dhuri to conduct door to door campaigning for upcoming elections in Punjab. 

Notably, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force in Punjab from the date of the announcement of elections (January 8, 2022) by the Election Commission of India and shall remain in force till the completion of the election process.

There are total 2,12,75,066 registered voters in the state for these elections, out of which 1,11,87,857 male, 1,00,86,514 female, 695 third genders, 1,44,667 PWD voters, 1,10,163 service voters, 1,601 NRI voters and 5,13,229 voters are above the age of 80. There are 24,689 polling stations on 14,751 polling locations. 

The polls to elect 117 members of the Legislative Assembly in Punjab will be held on February 20, and the counting of votes will be held on March 10. All the polling booths will be covered under web-casting on polling day, from 8 AM to 6 PM.

(With Agency Inputs)

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