DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C on Monday held a meeting with representatives of major political parties ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Polling for the 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases, starting with the first phase on April 19. The votes will be counted on June 4.

In Punjab, polling for the 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held on June 1.

During the meeting, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin provided detailed insights into the election process and also highlighted key statistics such as the total number of voters, according to a release.

Punjab has 2,12,71,246 (2.12 crore) voters -- 1,11,92,959 (1.11 crore) male, 1,00,77,543 (1.00 crore) female and 744 transgender persons.

Persons with disabilities number 1,57,257 (1.57 lakh) while overseas voters are 1,597.

There will be 24,433 polling stations set up in the state, the CEO said.

He also informed the parties about a provision that will allow voters with 40 per cent disabilities and individuals aged 85 and above to vote at home.

On the availability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), Sibin said the state has 150 per cent availability, ensuring a surplus.

He also assured the representatives that all polling stations will be equipped with essential facilities such as ramps, water supply, lighting arrangements and toilets. The polling stations will also be located within two kilometres of voters' addresses.

Sibin elaborated on the various intricacies of the electoral process, including candidates' qualifications for the Lok Sabha elections, disqualification provisions (both constitutional and statutory), nomination procedures, grounds for rejection of nominations, and rules governing withdrawal of nominations, as well as symbol allotment regulations.

The CEO outlined key provisions of the Model Code of Conduct, stressing that political parties and candidates must refrain from hate speech, religious or caste-based vote solicitation, personal attacks on opponents, or criticism based on unverified reports.

He emphasised the necessity of obtaining prior permission from district authorities for meetings and other events.

The CEO also shared details about the Suvidha portal and its role in simplifying the nomination process and obtaining various permissions for political parties.

Through the portal, candidates can file nominations and affidavits online, schedule meetings with returning officers for document submission, and streamline administrative procedures.
(editor@dailyworld.in)