GUNTUR: Following the withdrawal of nominations, 25 candidates remain in the fray for the Krishna-Guntur Graduates’ Constituency Legislative Council elections. District Collector and Returning Officer S Nagalakshmi reminded all candidates that they must follow the Election Commission’s code of conduct for campaign activities and polling processes.
On Thursday, a video conference was held at the Collectorate where Nagalakshmi addressed candidates and their representatives. The Election Commission has finalised the ballot paper arrangement, assigning serial numbers to candidates in alphabetical order.
The electoral rolls for the elections will be provided free of charge to recognised political parties, while registered parties and independent candidates will need to pay Rs 1 per page for printed copies. A soft copy on a CD is available for Rs 100. Booth-level officials will distribute polling booth details to voters, and candidates may also distribute voter slips, which must be printed on plain white paper without party symbols and include only the voter’s name, polling booth, and serial number.
Candidates must also obtain prior approval from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) for campaign materials such as pamphlets and video messages. Permissions for rallies, public meetings, and social media campaigns should be sought from the Assistant Returning Officer in the respective district. For statewide events, approval from the State Election Commission is required.
Candidates are allowed to print only their serial number on dummy ballot papers for campaign purposes, without mentioning other candidates’ names. Election duty personnel will follow the traditional postal ballot system. Employees must apply via Form 12 to receive their postal ballots, which must be posted in time to reach the Returning Officer by March 3. Campaigning must end 48 hours before polling, by 4:00 PM on February 25. Polling will begin at 8:00 AM on February 27 across 483 polling stations in the segment. Polling agents must arrive by 7:00 AM. Candidates may set up help desks beyond 200 meters from polling stations but must avoid influencing voters with transportation or inducements. Liquor sales will be prohibited on both polling and counting days, which will be dry days.
They will receive a handbook with EC guidelines. Legal action will be taken for any violations of the code of conduct. During the meeting, candidates raised various concerns, which Nagalakshmi addressed.