ELECTION 2001 - RULES ISSUED BY ELECTION COMMISSION

* A Party and it's candidate should make sure that the workers of that Party do not interfere or create any kind of disturbance in the meetings of the other Party.

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Questioning and distribution of bulletins of one's Party is not allowed in other Party's meeting.

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Party workers are not allowed to remove posters of other Party.

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The Party or it's candidate should inform the local police before conducting any public meetings, to maintain peaceful atmosphere and control traffic in that area.

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The Party should make sure that the place selected for the meeting is not under prohibition for such meeting.

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Prior permission has to be taken from the authorithies for the use of public addressing systems.

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Report any troublesome event during public meetings to the police officer in duty.

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Decide on the timings, starting place, ending place, route etc. of demonstrations. See to it that, once decided, changes are not made. Give these informations to the local police.

* The Party should prevent the possession of materials, among Party workers, that may proove dangerous or life-threatening during demonstrations. Carrying or burning of effigy should not be encouraged.

* The Party should be careful that it does misuse it's official status. Ministers should not use official trips and meetings for election campaigns.

* Every Party has equal rights to conduct meeting in maidhans and public meeting places.

* Rest houses, Government guest houses etc. cannot be exclusively used by the ruling Party or it's workers. Other Parties have equal right to it. Also, these places are not allowed to use as campaign offices or for meetings.

* Central and State Governments have to stay away from activities like advertising using government funds and campaigning using official media.

* Providing or promising financial assistance, by persons, from funds of discretionary power should be avoided after the declaration of election.

* After the declaration of election the Party should stay away from the following:
Financial assistance or promise of finanacial assistance, laying stone for new official ventures, announcementof new ventures, making temporary postings in offices under the Government.

* The Government machinery should not be used to influence the voters.

* Demonstrations and marches should not be conducted within 48 hours of the completion of voting.

* The Party and it's worker should co-operate with the polling officers. They have to make sure that the voters are free to make their choice.

* The Party or the candidate should provide badges or identification cards to the party workers who are assisting on the polling day.

* Avoid the supply or use of alcohol on the polling day and 24 hours before the polling.

* Identification slips given to the voters should be in white paper and avoid any symbols, name of the party or candidate etc. on it.

* Avoid the display of flags, symbols, posters etc. in the candidates' camps near the polling booth. The camps should not be crowded and arguements and distribution of food must be avoided.

* The party and it's workers should strictly follow the traffic rules on the polling day. Prior permission should be taken for the use of vehicles and the permit should be displayed on the vehicle.

* Campaign should be avoided within 10 m of the polling booths. The Party or it's workers must avoid taking voters to and from the polling booths in vehicles.

* Only the voters and persons with pass from the Election Commission, can enter the polling booths.

* The Party workers or candidates can clear any doubt or complaint with the observers appointed by the Election Commission.




BLIND AND OTHER HANDICAPS
If the voter is not able to identify the symbol or cast his vote due to blindness or some other handicap, the voter can bring a person (above 18 yrs.) along with him for assistance.



TO CONTEST IN THE ELECTION - Features of candidates
The persons who possess the features given below can contest in the assembly elections:
a)Indian nationality
b)Above 25 years of age
c)should be a voter in the constituency where the election is conducted
d)only persons who belong to SC/ST can contest in SC/ST reservation



DEPOSIT INFORMATION
To contest in the Lok Sabha elections the person must deposit Rs. 10,000/-. For persons belonging to SC/ST the amount is Rs. 5,000/-

To contest in the Assembly elections the person must deposit Rs. 5,000/- and SC/ST must deposit Rs. 2,500/-.

The deposit is given back if the name of candidate does not appear in the list or the person expires before the election.

If a person contests in more than one constituency, he will get back the deposit only from one constituency. But, a person who contest in both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections will get back both the deposits.

The following persons will get back the deposits: i) those who are elected ii) those who got more than 1/6th of the total valid votes.

Those who got exactly 1/6 th of the total votes, will not get the deposit back, but, if the elected candidate gets less than 1/6 th of the total votes, the deposit is given back.



ELECTION EXPENSES
After the candidature if officially accepted, the candidate must keep all expenses related to election till the results are announced. These information should be passed to the District Election Officer with 30 days of announcement of the results.

If there are no expenses it should be produced in statement. If this is not done , the candidate will be unable to stand for election for 3 years.

A copy of the statement of election expenses can be obtained by paying Re. 1/- in the name of the District Election Officer. Candidates representing more than one constituency, should give separate statements to each constituency.
State
Max. amt. of expenditure
Lok Sabha
Assembly
Kerala
Rs. 15,00,000/-
Rs. 6,00,000/-




ELECTION AGENT

Each candidate can appoint an election agent. For this, the candidate have to fill two forms of No. 8 and submit it to the Returning Officer. To cancel the appointment of the agent, the candidate must fill form No. 9 and submit to the RO. Anything that the election agent does concerning elections, is considered as the candidate's deeds.



ELECTION OFFICERS

Chief Election Officer is the controller of all works related to elections. Two more commissioners were appointed in 1995. Each State has a Chirf Electoral Officer and each district has a District Election Officer. Usually District Collector performs the duty of District Election Officer.

Every constituency has a returning officer. If necessary, assistant returning officers are appointed. Each polling booth has a presiding officer and polling officers are appointed under him (if necessary).