Chandigarh, May 8, 2024: The Nomination process for election to the Chandigarh Parliamentary Constituency commenced on May 7th, 2024. The notice of election was officially issued by the Returning Officer, U.T., Chandigarh, on the same day. This notice is available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer, U.T, Chandigarh, accessible at ceochandigarh.gov.in. On the second day of the nominations, two independent candidates submitted their nominations, demonstrating early engagement in the electoral process. During the nomination filing process, candidates were provided with various instructions, as specified by the Commission. Notably, candidates were informed about restrictions regarding the printing of campaign materials such as pamphlets or posters. Section 127A of the R.P. Act, 1951, mandates that all election pamphlets or posters must prominently display the names and addresses of the printer and publisher. Additionally, within a reasonable timeframe after printing, a declaration confirming the identity of the publisher, along with a copy of the document, must be sent to the Chief Electoral Officer of the State. Non-compliance with this provision is subject to penalties, including imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to two thousand rupees, or both. Copies of these directives were distributed to each candidate at the time of filing their Nomination Paper. As per the directions of the Commission, Candidates who have criminal cases against them – either pending cases or cases in which candidate has been convicted, shall publish a declaration about such cases, for wide publicity, in TV Channel and newspapers with wide circulation in the constituency area. This declaration is to be published in a particular Format, on three occasions during the campaign period. In response to a candidate's disclosure of criminal antecedents, the Returning Officer issued a written reminder outlining the specific directions for publishing declarations about criminal cases in newspapers and TV channels. This publicity is to occur during the period starting from the day following the last date of withdrawal and continuing up to 48 hours before the conclusion of the poll. The reminders are to be published in the following manner: (i) Within the first 4 days of withdrawal of nominations. (ii) Between the 5th and 8th days following withdrawal. (iii) From the 9th day until the last day of the campaign, which is the second day prior to the date of the poll. Additionally, the candidates were provided with a register for the preparation of accounts to maintain accurate records of election-related expenditures. As per Section 78 of the RP Act 1951, candidates must submit two copies of these accounts within thirty days from the declaration of results to the District Election Officer, U.T., Chandigarh. For public awareness, the affidavits of all candidates have been uploaded on the ECI portal and can be accessed through the Voter Helpline App, Know Your Candidate app (KYC), and affidavit.eci.gov.in.