MP CM Kamal Nath’s Chhindwara Constituency Categorised as Expenditure Sensitive: State Poll Body Chief

Bhopal: Chhindwara parliamentary constituency is among the sensitive pockets in terms of election expenditure during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, MP chief electoral officer VL Kantha Rao said on Monday.

In the category of sensitive pockets for election expenditure, the election commission has listed two Lok Sabha constituencies, Chhindwara and Indore, apart from 29 assembly constituencies.

The sensitivity of these areas is ascertained on the basis of literacy, economic growth or past complaints, said Rao claiming the commission would keep a vigil on these areas round the clock in the last three days before polling. In these sensitive areas, four expense observers have been also appointed to keep a check on poll expenses.

To add to it, Indore is the commercial capital of MP while chief minister Kamal Nath is in the fray for assembly by-polls and his son Nakul in a Lok Sabha poll contender from Chhindwara.

April 9 is the last day of nomination for the six seats in first phase of polls in MP.

The state chief election commissioner however claimed that his office was informed about the I-T raids in Madhya Pradesh at around 8am on Sunday. The raids on CM Kamal Nath’s close associates had started by 3am the same day.

“The I-T dept nodal officer has informed us that their team from Delhi office has been carrying out the raids,” said Rao adding they would share the findings once they receive the detailed report of the IT action.

Regarding the second phase of polls in MP, the poll officer said that they will be issued on April

10.

Rao refuted social media reports that claimed that anyone who reaches the polling booth and fails to find his/her name in the voter list could still exercise adult franchise through challenge vote by producing the voter ID card. “If your name is missing from voter list, you can’t cast your vote,” said the officer while urging people to get their names enlisted into the voters’ list.

In all, 56 nominations have been received for six Los Sabha seats going to polls in first phase including eight nominations received in Chhindwara. For Chhindwara assembly by-poll, nine nominations have been received, the commission said.

Besides Chhindwara; Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla and Balaghat Lok Sabha seats are going to polls on April 29.

The commission also released the list of 198 poll symbols including seven for nationally recognised political parties.