In preparation for the upcoming Nuapada by-election on November 11, Chief Electoral Officer R.S. Gopalan chaired an all-party meeting in Bhubaneswar, emphasizing the need for a free, fair, and impartial electoral process.
The meeting outlined strict adherence to Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines. Political parties and candidates must seek prior approval before publishing advertisements across print, electronic, and social media platforms. Declaration of criminal records by candidates is mandatory, and parties must submit lists of star campaigners.
The final voter list includes 2,53,624 registered voters: 1,24,108 male, 1,29,495 female, and 21 third-gender voters. Among them are 9,429 first-time youth voters, 3,988 persons with disabilities, and 1,786 senior citizens aged above 85. To accommodate the electorate, 56 new polling booths have been established, with each booth capped at 1,200 voters as per ECI norms.
The Model Code of Conduct is now in effect. Candidates must disclose criminal antecedents through media publications and notify the Commission. Parties are also required to submit campaign expenditure details and ensure compliance with ethical conduct.
Senior officials present included Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sushanta Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretaries Pramod Kumar Sahu and Ramchandra Kisku, Joint Secretary Gopinath Kuanr, and Deputy Chief Electoral Officers Dr. Laxmi Prasad Sahu and Anamika Singh. Representatives from major political parties participated in the discussion.
The meeting reinforced the commitment to uphold democratic values and ensure maximum voter participation in Nuapada.
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