Voting for the Lok Sabha General Elections in Haryana to be Held in the Sixth Phase
Notification to be issued on April 29, last date for filling nomination papers is May 6, 2024
Candidates will be able to bring maximum 4 people with them while filing nomination papers
Chandigarh, March 22 - The Chief Electoral Officer of Haryana, Sh. Anurag Agarwal, stated that the voting for the Lok Sabha General Elections 2024 in the state will be held in the sixth phase on May 25, 2024. The notification for the same will be issued on April 29.
The deadline for filing nomination papers is May 6, 2024. Returning Officers will make public the information regarding the last date for filing nomination papers, locations, times, scrutiny of nomination papers, and the date for the return of papers in government offices.
He mentioned that during the nomination process, candidates will be allowed to bring a maximum of 4 people with them to the offices of the Returning Officer (RO) and Assistant Returning Officer (ARO). Additionally, a maximum of 3 vehicles will be allowed within a perimeter of 100 metre of the RO and ARO offices.
Sh. Agarwal stated that candidates contesting in the Lok Sabha General Elections will be permitted a maximum election expenditure of Rs. 95 lakh. For this purpose, candidates will be required to open a separate bank account and provide an expenditure report to the commission within one month after the election. He also mentioned that the security deposit for candidates in the general category is Rs. 25,000, while for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates, it is Rs. 12,500.
The security deposit will only be accepted in cash or through treasury. He further added that the entire nomination process will be video-recorded, and all documents will be securely kept by the RO. A candidate can file a maximum of 4 nomination papers and can contest elections from 2 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Nomination papers must be submitted personally to the RO/ARO offices and cannot be sent by post. Candidates will be required to disclose their criminal records publicly. Sh. Anurag Agarwal stated that candidates contesting elections must disclose their criminal records, if any, publicly. For this, candidates must provide complete information about their criminal cases along with an affidavit in Form-26. Apart from this, the relevant political party must also publish information about the candidate's criminal cases on its official website. After filing the nomination, candidates and political parties are required to publicly disclose information about criminal cases in newspapers and TV channels at least 3 times.
=========================================
Lok Sabha General Elections: Target of at least 75% Voter Turnout in Haryana - Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Agarwal
Election Commission sign MoUs with Bank association and Post Office for voter outreach
Awareness campaigns to be conducted in ATMs and banks to encourage customers to exercise their franchise
Chandigarh, March 22 - Haryana's Chief Electoral Office, Sh. Anurag Agarwal stated that the department is making strenuous efforts at the war footing level to ensure maximum participation of citizens in the voting for the Lok Sabha General Elections scheduled for May 25, 2024. Every eligible voter must exercise their voting rights, and citizens are being sensitized for this purpose. In the 2019 Lok Sabha General Elections, approximately 70% voter turnout was recorded in the state, which was higher than the national average. This time our target is to achieve a minimum of 75% voter turnout in the state.
Sh. Anurag Agarwal mentioned that to increase voter turnout this time, the Election Commission of India has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Postal Department and the Indian Banks Association to raise awareness among voters. The main objective is to convey to voters that participation of the public is crucial in democracy, therefore, every citizen must exercise their franchise.
He said that Haryana has a large network of over 5600 branches of 62 banks. With the cooperation of banks, maximum awareness will be ensured at ATMs and branches to motivate citizens coming to banks to vote. He said that the theme of this election is the festival of elections - the pride of the nation, therefore, this festival is incomplete without the exercise of citizens' voting rights. People get this opportunity once every five years, so ensure your participation in this festival.
The Chief Electoral Officer said that this time there are 1 crore 98 lakh 29 thousand 675 registered voters in Haryana. He appealed to all voters to exercise their voting rights without temptation or fear. There are 19,812 polling centres in the state.
=====================================
Haryana Right to Service Commission takes cognizance of a complaint from a Jhajjar resident
Directed UHBVN to provide NDS electricity connection to the complainant
UHBVN provided NDS electricity connection within a week
Auto Appeal System (AAS) benefits people
Chandigarh, March 22 - The Haryana Right to Service Commission has directed the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam to immediately provide NDS electricity connection to the complainant Jagbir, a resident of Jhajjar by changing the connection from the AP feeder to the RDS feeder. Complying with the orders of the Commission, UHBVN issued the complainant's connection from the RDS feeder within a week.
Sharing information in this regard an official spokesperson said that the complainant Jagbir Jakhar had filed a revision petition before the Commission on February 13, 2024, attaching an order of SGRA. He said that he has been given a new NDS connection from the AP feeder, while he needs NDS connection from the RDS feeder. The Commission heard his side through VC on February 22, 2024.
After hearing the revision petition of the complainant, the Commission heard the side of SDO, District Jhajjar, UHBVN. He said that the connection has been given from the nearest AP feeder, while the RDS feeder is far away, there is a transformer nearby from which an industrial connection has been given. However, the SDO could not give a satisfactory answer to the Commission in this regard. The complainant said that he has talked to the factory owner and they have no objection to giving him this connection from that feeder.
The Commission, while directing UHBVN, said that the complaint of the complainant is genuine, and therefore UHBVN should immediately provide him NDS connection from the nearby RDS or industrial feeder. In this regard, the SDO said in his report to the Commission that the revised estimate has been prepared and his connection has been issued from the RDS feeder.
The spokesperson of the Haryana Right to Service Commission said that people are getting a lot of benefits from the Auto Appeal System (AAS). After filing the complaint, the complaint of the applicant is resolved by the concerned department within the stipulated time limit. Apart from this, the complaints which have not been acted upon, after the stipulated time, automatically reach the First Grievance Redressal Authority or the Second Grievance Redressal Authority for resolution.
=================================
HU scientists discovered new pea disease for the first time
International organisation American Phytopathological Society recognises the disease
Chandigarh, March 22 - Scientists from Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar have identified a new and potentially devastating disease affecting pea crops. Named "Witches' Broom," the disease is associated with the pathogen 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' (16SrI).
The American Phytopathological Society (APS), USA, which recognizes new diseases in plants, has accepted and published the report of this new disease by the scientists in its prestigious journal ‘Plant Disease’ as the first research report. APS is one of the oldest international scientific organisations for the study of plant diseases that publishes world-class publications specifically on plant diseases.
Vice-Chancellor, University Dr. B. R Kamboj said that scientists from the Haryana Agricultural University are the first in the world to discover this disease. They have submitted a research report on the phytoplasma pea disease, which has been recognized by an international organization and published in its journal.
He stated that early identification of emerging threats in various crops has become important in the changing agricultural landscape. He said that scientists should start working on disease control as soon as possible.
Symptoms appeared in the pea crop in 2023
He informed that the new disease was first observed in the pea crop at the Central State Farm, Hisar in February 2023, where 10 percent of the pea plants became stunted and bushy. After hard work, the scientists of HAU have discovered the causal agent of this disease, Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris. He said that early identification of the disease will help in developing a planned breeding program.