)
The Election Commission (EC) of India has notified the bye-elections to the Mandya and Bangalore Rural Parliamentary constituencies and Avanigadda Assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh.
According to the schedule, bye-elections to fill the casual vacancies in these three constituencies will take place on August 21 between 8 am and 5 pm.
The notification will be issued on July 27. The last date for nominations will be August 3 and the scrutiny will follow on August 5. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures will be August 7 following which polls will be held on August 21. The counting of votes will be on August 24. The election process will be completed by August 27.
The electoral rolls of the Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies have been revised with January 1, 2013, as the qualifying date. They were published on January 16 and January 28 in Karnataka and on January 15 in AP.
As in the last elections, electronic voting machines will be used in these bye-elections too. Voters' identification will be mandatory at the time of poll, electoral photo identity cards being the main document of identity. The model code of conduct has come into force with immediate effect in the district(s) in which the whole or any part of the Parliamentary Constituency / Assembly Constituency going for bye-elections.
However, considering the request of states to the EC to reconsider the issue of enforcement of model code of conduct in the entire district during the bye-election as it affects development works in the entire district.
While only a part of the district may be involved in the election process, EC has made partial modifications in its instructions on an experimental basis.
Accordingly, its instructions relating to regulating the implementation of schemes of the MNREGA, extending relief and starting works in case of natural calamities, drought, flood, drinking water, digging of borewells, fodder, agricultural inputs and input subsidies to farmers, new development work (whether beneficiary or work oriented) including work under MPLAD, MLA and MLC LAD schemes, announcement and commencement of new projects, programmes, concessions, financial grants, defacement of property, use of government property for campaign purpose, among others will now be applicable only to the areas falling in the Assembly/Parliamentary constituencies going to the bye-election and not to the entire district(s)in which such a constituency is located.
However, EC's all other existing instructions on matters like tours of ministers, vehicles, advertisements, use of government guest houses, and all prevailing instructions other than those mentioned above, transfers of officers etc. will continue to remain applicable to the entire district(s) in which the constituency is having the bye-election is situated, says a EC notification.
Following the announcement of polls and with the election norms coming into effect in Mandya district, the Mysore district commissioner has directed district officials to withdraw all government vehicles provided to presidents, vice-presidents and non-official members of boards, corporations and independent organisations with immediate effect.
