The bugle for this year’s Lok Sabha elections has been sounded across the country, and parties and authorities are amping up their preparations for the same.
This year, the state will go polling for the general elections as well as the bye elections for five seats across the state on May 7.
For this, the Election Commission of India (ECI) will issue the notification on Apr 12, when candidates can start filling out their nomination forms.
This process will continue till Apr 19, after which the forms will be scrutinised on Apr 20, and the last day to withdraw them is Apr 22.
Five persons, including the candidate and their supporters, and three vehicles will be allowed at the time of submitting the nomination papers at the office of the district election officer (DEO).
If the number of supporters of an unrecognised party or independent candidate is ten, then the candidate will be allowed to enter the office with only four of their supporters, and if necessary, the other four supporters accompanying the candidate will be able to enter the office after the exit of the previous four. The remaining two will be allowed similarly thereafter.
The state’s chief electoral officer (CEO), P Bharathi, reviewed the election process through a video conference with all the state’s electoral officials.
As per the meteorological department, the mercury has already reached 41°C and is expected to rise to 44°C by the end of April and in the polling days of May. Following this, the state’s election department has arranged for drinking water and pandals at the polling stations.