Newsdesk, Ahmedabad, 2 April 2014

The Election Commission of India will today issue a notification for the general elections of Lok Sabha for 26 seats of Gujarat. The state is also going to witness assembly by-polls on seven seats for which the schedule is same.

The process of filing nominations for the first phase of the polls has begun with the issuance of this notification. The last date of filing nominations is 9 April. Scrutiny of forms will take place on 10 April. The last date of withdrawal of forms is 12 April. Polling will be held on 30 April.

Gujarat:
Issue of notification: 2 April 2014
Last date of filling nominations: 9 April 2014
Scrutiny of nominations: 10 April 2014
Last date of withdrawal of candidature: 12 April
Date of poll: 30th April 2014
Counting to take place on 16th May.

By-polls of assembly:

Abdasa, Rapar, Himmatnagar, Visavdar, Somnath, Lathi, mandvi

Following the notification:

With the issuance of notification, static surveillance teams will be put on roads and highways. When EC team will find some political worker/candidate/leader possessing more than Rs. 50,000 in cash or a gift worth Rs. 10,000 or more, and if they doubt that it has something to do with the elections, then the election commission will proceed.

What may happen in next few days?

-Candidates of various parties will file nominations. There are prescribed rules on number of vehicles and number of people participating in nomination process along with the candidate.
-BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Shri Narendra Modi will file nomination in Vadodara, most probably on 9th of April. He may address the people there briefly.
-National Democratic Alliance(NDA)’s Chair person LK Advani will file nomination for Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, most probably on 5 April.
-Affidavits of candidates containing details of their property will be put online. Media will compare the rise in property of repeat candidates and report.
-Rebels and independents who may have potential to hurt the chances of winnable candidate will be pressurized to withdraw their nominations.
-At some places parties may try to field independent candidates with same name as rival candidate to confuse the voters.
-Most candidates may select 12:39 pm time to file nomination as it is considered good muhrat.
-News will continue to flash about static survey team procedures across the state.