DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

To facilitate candidates during nomination filing process for the upcoming panchayat polls, Punjab State Election Commission on Sunday said if a candidate is unable to obtain no-dues certificate, they can submit an affidavit stating that no government dues were pending.

Elections to gram panchayats will be held on October 15.

State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhuri on Sunday said the Commission has issued directions to all district election officers and returning officers that wherever no dues certificate or a no objection certificate is required to be attached with the nomination papers on and if a candidate is unable to obtain such certificate, then the candidate can file an affidavit stating clearly that he or she is not in arrears of any tax or other dues of the concerned authority.

The candidate is also not in unauthorised occupation of property belonging to any local authority in terms of Section 11 of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994, he added. Chaudhari further said to make the process of preparing these affidavits simpler, further directions have been issued that said affidavits may be issued under the verification and attestation of executive magistrate or oath commissioner.

The Returning Officer shall accept such nomination papers and forward an affidavit to the concerned authority with a direction to send a report within, but not later than 24 hours, failing which it shall be presumed that he or she is not a defaulter or unauthorised occupant in terms of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994.

He further said in case, a candidate has not paid such dues, then he will be given due opportunity to deposit such dues before the concerned authority and will be provided time till the beginning of the period of scrutiny for submitting proof of deposit of pending dues.

Meanwhile, for the convenience of the general public and all other concerns, the State Election Commission established a control room in its office here for the conduct of the elections.

Polling will be held for 13,237 '+ char(39) +'Sarpanches'+ char(39) +' and 83,437 '+ char(39) +'Panches'+ char(39) +' on October 15, through ballot boxes. As per the election schedule, the last date for filing nomination papers is October 4. Scrutiny of the nomination papers will take place on October 5 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 7. Votes will be counted on the same day at the polling station itself.
(editor@dailyworld.in)