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Enthusiastic housewives, seasoned politicians and conscientious residents, all made a beeline for the district collectorate on Tuesday to lay the groundwork for contesting the civic elections slated for April 7 in Ranchi and rest of the state.
Even before deputy commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey notified the polls in the afternoon, the district collectorate had turned into a hub of poll activity with over 200 prospective candidates rushing in to lay their hands on certified copies of voters’ lists.
“I want to get a copy of the list so that I can check whether my name exists or not. For only then, can I think of filing my nomination,” said Vishwa Ranjan Kumar Sharma, a young man from Ratu Roadarea, who wants to contest for the ward commissioner’s post from ward 33.
According to rules, anyone wanting to contest the polls to the Ranchi Municipal Corporation, or any other municipality for that matter, must have his/her name in the voters’ list to “qualify” as a candidate.
Like Sharma, Shabana Khatun, a middle-aged housewife from Mecon, was also desperately searching for a voters’ list of her ward. “Some people have managed to get the voters’ list. But, I am still trying to get it,” she said, ading that she wanted to contest for the ward commissioner’s post from ward 39.
Voters’ lists were issued by the office of district panchayati raj officer Kartik Kumar Prabhat. However, it has been slow in issuing the lists, leading to a few ruffled feathers among the prospective candidates.
While issuing of certified voters’ lists started Tuesday, candidates wanting to secure nomination forms could do so from Wednesday.
Nomination forms for the mayor’s post would be available from the office of additional district magistrate Ravi Shankar Verma, who has been named returning officer for the all-important election.
Nomination papers for ward commissioners would be available from the offices of respective returning officers, 11 of whom have been named by the deputy commissioner.
Each returning officer has been given charge of five wards. Prospective candidates who want to secure nomination papers have to visit the office of his or her returning officer.
“Nomination papers would be issued to candidates from tomorrow. After they fill them up, they have to submit them to the concerned returning officer assigned to the ward,” explained Sudhir Ranjan, district deputy election officer.
Filing of nominations will begin from Wednesday, which will go on till March 19.
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