Candidates will have to share details of social media account during nomination filing

Ranchi: State’s Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said that for the third phase of elections to be held on 17 seats of the state a total of 8792 ballot units and control units will be used however the number of ballot units will also depend on the number of candidates who are standing from the seat.

Addressing a press conference here he said that in case there are more than 16 candidates on any seats than two ballot units will be used. He said that in the third phase 9123 VVPATs will be used and all-district electoral officers have been given instructions related to randomization of the EVMs.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kripanand Jha said that all the candidates at the time of filing of nomination papers will have to share their details of social media accounts and an eye will be kept on their posts and said that if any candidate uses their social media accounts for advertisement than pre-certification from the MCMC is a must.

He said that the step has been taken to ensure transparency in the polls. Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sailesh Kumar Chourasia said that this time token system has been put into place as part of which the voters will be given token at the booths and on the basis of the token number they will be able to cast their votes.

He said those elaborate sitting arrangements will also be made at the polling booths. On the other hand, Mr Choubey said that post the declaration of assembly elections in Jharkhand the enforcement agencies have seized cash and other prohibited substance worth Rs 2.69 crore.

He said out of the total seizure Rs 89.73 lakh was in cash, while liquor and Mahua worth Rs 94.44 lakh has been seized.