Civic poll candidates may be facing difficulties in reaching out to the electorate because of financial restrains on campaigning, but citizens will have no problems in recognising them, thanks to “official” publicity.

The state election commission has decided to conduct a Know Your Candidates campaign, in which posters with details of all the candidates would be put up in their respective wards.

Joint election commissioner Ahibhushan Pandey told The Telegraph on Sunday: “In a bid to ensure that the voters are aware of every detail of the candidates contesting the civic polls from their ward, the state election commission has issued a directive to all district magistrates (DMs) to conduct the Know Your Candidates campaign. The DMs have been asked to list the details of all candidates contesting the upcoming election in the format prescribed by the commission.”

He added: “The details about the candidates would be strictly based on the nomination papers filed by them. All details should be printed in a consolidated form on posters of appropriate size. These posters should be put up at 10 conspicuous public places in the respective wards. The officers concerned have been asked to execute the order within two days of the receipt of the corresponding letter.”

This is a first-of-its-kind initiative taken by the state election commission.

Sources said the Know Your Candidates posters could also be displayed at polling centres on the day of voting.

However, in order to prohibit the misuse of this campaign, the returning officer concerned would put his/her signature and stamp on the Know Your Candidates poster. The serial number of the ward and poster number would also be printed on the top right corner of the poster, to ensure its authenticity.

Candidates have welcomed the Know Your Candidates campaign. “It is a good initiative by the election commission. But I would like to point out that people already know their candidates very well because civic elections are held for comparatively smaller areas. The election commission should encourage people to vote because polling percentage in the past few civic polls have been limited to a meagre 37 to 38 per cent,” said Afzal Imam, the present mayor of Patna and a candidate from ward number 52.

From the posters, Imam’s electorate would not only learn about his professional experience but also about the number of criminal cases pending against him.

Campaigning for the election would continue till 4pm on May 16. The state election commission has already issued several directives with regard to the model code of conduct for the candidates.

Sources said 631 candidates are contesting for 71 seats in the Patna Municipal Corporation.