Chandigarh [India], March 9 (ANI): Punjab Chief Electoral Officer, S Karuna Raju, on Wednesday informed that thousands of workers have been given round wise training for the counting of votes in the state as the real task is the declaration of results of Assembly elections.

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], February 20 (ANI): The Punjab Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju on Sunday informed that 18 FIRs have been registered across the state in 'minor incidents' that were reported during the assembly polls in the state.

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], February 11 (ANI): The Chief Electoral Officer Punjab on Friday issued an order to withdraw the appointment of Punjabi actor Kamal Dhaliwal, also known as Hobby Dhaliwal, as the district election icon of Patiala.

Chandigarh Jan 31 PTI A total of 559 nominations were filed on Monday for the February 20 Punjab assembly polls states Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju said With this the number of total nominations filed in the state till the second last day for the process reached 1178 Raju said February 1 is the last date to file nomination papers for the state assembly elections Prominent among those who submitted their nomination papers included Punjab Chief Minister and Congress candidate Charanjit Singh Channi ex-CMs Parkash Singh Badal and Amarinder Singh and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithias wife Ganieve Kaur also filed her nomination papers from the Majitha assembly constituency This development leads to speculation that Majithia may now fight only from the Amritsar East seat against Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu Majithia had earlier filed his nomination papers from both Majitha and Amritsar East constituencies AAP candidate Sukhjinder Raj Singh Laali Jagwinder Pal Singh of Congress Pardeep Singh of BJP also filed their nomination papers from the Majithia assembly constituency From the Amritsar North seat AAP candidate and former IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh and SAD candidate Anil Joshi filed their nominations The nomination process which started on January 25 will continue till February 1 The scrutiny of nominations will be done on February 2 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is February 4 Voting for Punjabs 117 assembly seats will be held on February 20 and the counting will take place on March 10 PTI CHS VSD RAX RAX

Chandigarh Jan 30 PTI To increase voter awareness and participation in the February 20 Punjab Assembly polls the state Chief Electoral Officers CEO office unveiled its election mascot Shera on SundayFive persons with disabilities PwDs were specially invited on the occasion as the guests of honourSpeaking on the launch of the poll mascot through an online event Punjab CEO S Karuna Raju said dressed in traditional Punjabi attire Shera depicting a lion represents the rich cultural heritage of the statePromoted under the Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation SVEEP project the mascot aims to increase voter awareness and participation in the upcoming polls and promote ethical voting according to an official statementAs part of the SVEEP plan posters effigies and huge cut-outs of Shera will be used besides extensively disseminating voter awareness messages on social media This will strike a chord with youngsters in particular Raju saidHe further said the voter awareness campaign has been conceived and executed keeping in mind Punjabs culture and the voters preferences Giving an example the CEO said various Nukkad Natak street plays and performances by theatre artistes are being organisedPTI SUN RC

Chandigarh Jan 29 PTI Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu AAPs chief ministerial face Bhagwant Mann and state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal filed their nominations on Saturday along with several other candidates Punjabs Chief Electoral Officer CEO S Karuna Raju said 317 nominations were filed on Saturday and with this the total number of nominations filed has reached 619 The nomination process which started on January 25 will continue till February 1 The scrutiny of nominations will be done on February 2 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is February 4 Voting for Punjabs 117 Assembly seats will be held on February 20 and the counting will take place on March 10PTI CHS VSD AAR

Chandigarh Jan 28 PTI Several candidates including Punjab Deputy Chief Minister O P Soni and Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia filed their nomination papers on Friday for the state assembly polls Punjabs Chief Electoral Officer CEO S Karuna Raju said 176 nominations were filed in the state on Friday With this the total number of nominations filed so far reached 302 The nomination process which started on January 25 will continue till February 1 The scrutiny of nominations will be done on February 2 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is February 4 Congress candidate and Deputy Chief Minister Soni filed his nomination from Amritsar Central constituency Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia filed his nomination papers from Majitha and Amritsar East assembly constituencies According to an affidavit filed along with the nomination papers Majithia declared his residential and agriculture properties in Amritsar and Shimla and 29 bus route permits granted by the state transport authority Bikram and his wife declared movable assets of Rs 6 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 535 crore He also declared Rs 229 crore of investment in shares and debentures The SAD leader also declared criminal cases pending against him in Amritsar Mohali Chandigarh and Ferozepur From Amritsar South constituency Punjab Lok Congress candidate Harjinder Singh filed his nomination papers Amrik Singh son of Hazara Singh of Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar candidate filed his nomination papers from Ajnala assembly constituency Voting for Punjabs 117 assembly seats will be held on February 20 and counting will take place on March 10 PTI JMS CHS VSD SRY

Chandigarh Jan 25 PTI Twelve nominations were filed for the Punjab Assembly polls as the process of the filling of papers began on Tuesday Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju said The nomination process will continue till February 1 The scrutiny of nominations will be done on February 2 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is February 4 Voting for Punjabs 117 Assembly seats will be held on February 20 and the counting will take place on March 10 PTI CHS VSD RDK RDK

Chandigarh Jan 24 PTI Punjabs Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju on Monday said only two persons can accompany the candidate while filing nomination papers at the office of the returning officer The filling of nominations for the next months assembly polls will start on January 25 and will continue till February 1 Voting for Punjabs 117 assembly seats will be held on February 20 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10 Raju said that according to the instructions issued earlier by the Election Commission of India the number of persons accompanying a candidate at the time for submission of nomination papers has been reduced from five to two while the number of vehicles reduced to two from three earlier He said the nomination papers are also made available on the website of CEODEO which the candidates can fill in online and can be submitted along with the notary certified affidavit In an official release Raju said to limit the crowd the returning officers could also get the nomination papers by calling the candidates at staggered time in advance He further said candidates may deposit security money through online mode at the designated platform Meanwhile Raju said in pursuance of directions issued by the Supreme Court the Election Commission of India ECI has amended the form-26 being part of the nomination form thereby mandating the candidates contesting Parliamentary or Vidhan Sabhaelections to provide complete information regarding the pending criminal cases against them or cases in which they have been convicted Such candidates would be bound to give information in this regard to the general public through print and electronic media he said The ECI has also uploaded a questionnaire with answers on its official website to clear the doubts and queries of candidates regarding form-26 Meanwhile Raju said the enforcement teams have so far seized liquor psychotropic substances and unaccounted cash worth Rs 7776 crore The seizure was made till January 23 The surveillance teams seized 1278 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 563 crore Similarly the enforcement wings have also recovered psychotropic substances amounting to Rs 5676 crore besides confiscating unaccounted cash of Rs 1431 crore he added PTI CHS VSD CK

Chandigarh Jan 23 PTI Punjabs Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju on Sunday said the filling of nominations for the next months assembly polls will start on January 25 and will continue till February 1 Voting for Punjabs 117 assembly seats will be held on February 20 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10 Raju said the scrutiny of the nominations would be done on February 2 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature would be February 4 according to an official release The nominations for the upcoming elections would be filed in the office of respective returning officers from 11 am to 3 pm from January 25 to February 1 said Raju The CEO said January 26 is a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 and therefore nomination papers cannot be presented to the returning officer on that day January 30 being Sunday is also a holiday he said The Model Code of Conduct came into force in the state on January 8There are total 21275066 registered voters in the state and of them 10086514 are female 695 third genders 144667 PWD 110163 service voters 1601 NRI voters and 513229 aged above 80 PTI CHS CK