Himachal Pradesh Elections Dates Announced; Details Inside

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• Oct 14, 2022 | Dhupali Das

The filing of nominations for candidates will begin in October...

Digital Desk: The Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh will be held in a single phase on November 12 for all 68 constituencies, with voting taking place on December 8, the Election Commission stated Friday in New Delhi.

The model code of conduct will be implemented throughout the state on October 17, after the release of the election notification.

"To the festive month of October, we are going to add the festival of democracy," Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar told reporters while announcing the election schedule.

The filing of nominations for candidates will begin on October 17 and go on until October 25.

Meanwhile, election dates for the Gujarat Assembly, whose term expires on February 18, 2023, have not been published till now. "We are following the precedent in keeping the announcement of dates for Gujarat in abeyance for now," Kumar said. He also said that announcing multiple state polls together could lead to longer waits for the declaration of results for some.

According to the commission, there are 1.86 lakh first-time voters in Himachal Pradesh, 1.22 lakh voters over the age of 80, and 1,184 voters over the age of 100.

Additionally, Kumar stated that the committee was consulting with political parties regarding manifestos. "Any election promise must be explained on how that is feasible," Kumar said about so-called freebies promised by parties.

The model code of conduct term has also been cut from 70 days to 57 days, as the commission does not want the limits in place for an extended length of time, Kumar said.

While choosing the dates, the commission also considered the local weather in the hill state. "During the peak of winter, areas of Himachal, particularly the highest reaches, are covered with snow," he said.

The commission has also established social media teams that would be on the lookout for such information on the internet in order to contain the effect of fake news influencing voters, Kumar said.

 In regards to the Covid protocol, which has been in effect during electoral procedures for the previous two years, Kumar stated that the commission had talked with the health ministry and state chief secretaries. "Covid does not seem to be that much of a concern now. However, states have been asked to follow the five-fold strategy for Covid containment. People are advised to follow the advisory of the health ministry," he said.

Kumar also cited the commission's different mobile apps, such as those for reporting code violations and assisting disabled and elderly voters, particularly those aged 80 to 100, who can have their ballots collected from their homes by visiting officials.