Jaipur, March 28 (IANS): Notification was issued for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan on Thursday, said officials, adding that with this, the nomination process began on 13 Lok Sabha seats.
In the second phase, voting will be held on April 26 in Tonk-Sawaimadhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota and Jhalawar-Baran.
The voting period will be from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nominations for the second phase can be made till April 4. However, nominations will not be filed on March 31 and April 1 due to holidays.
Nomination papers will be scrutinized on April 5 and names can be withdrawn till April 8. Counting of votes will take place on June 4, added the officials.
Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta said that under the Public Representation Act, 1951, general candidates will have to deposit a security deposit of Rs 25,000 and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates will have to deposit Rs 12,500 while filing nomination.
Gupta said that only 5 persons, including the candidate, who came to fill the nomination papers, will be able to enter the room of the Returning Officer (RO). Only three vehicles in the convoy of the person arriving to file nomination will be allowed to enter within 100 meters of the RO office. The process of filing nominations will start from 11 a.m., which will continue till 3 p.m. No person will be allowed to enter the room or bring documents after 3 p.m,, he said.
The Chief Electoral Officer directed that the concerned RO should ensure complete compliance with these instructions of the Election Commission. The RO should be present in his office during the entire period of filing nomination and should also get videography of the entire process done, said Praveen Gupta.