EVMs to be used in Kadapa by-polls: EC

The Central Election Commission on Wednesday announced that the electoral rolls for Kadapa Parliamentary Constituency and Pulivendula Assembly Constituency in Andhra Pradesh with reference to January 1, 2011 as the qualifying date and these have been published on January 5, 2011.

In a statement, the EC said that it has decided to use EVMs in these by-elections in all the polling stations. Adequate numbers of EVMs have been made available and all steps have been taken to ensure that the poll in these constituencies is conducted smoothly with the help of these machines.

 The EC also said that in consonance with the past practice, the Commission has decided that the voter’s identification shall be mandatory in the aforementioned by-elections at the time of poll.

Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) shall be the main document of identity of a voter. 

However, in order to ensure that no voter is deprived of his or her franchise, if his or her name figures in the Electoral Rolls, separate instructions will be issued to allow additional documents for identification of voters at the time of poll in these by-elections, the EC said.

The Commission further said that the Model Code of Conduct shall come into force with immediate effect in the district (s) in which the whole or any part of the Assembly Constituency and Parliamentary Constituencies going for by-election is included. 

The Model Code of Conduct shall be applicable to all candidates, political parties and the state government. The Model Code of Conduct shall also be applicable to the Union Government as far as these States are concerned.