264/2024-2025
Aizawl the 4th October, 2024 : WHEREAS, the superintendence, direction and control of General Election to Sinlung Hills Council is vested in the State Election Commission under Section 34 of the Sinlung Hills Council Act, 2018 as amended read with sub-rule (1) of Rule 3 of the Mizoram (Election to Sinlung Hills Council) Rules, 2019; and
WHEREAS, the word ‘elections’ include the entire process of election which consists of several stages or steps, some of which have important bearing on the process of choosing a candidate by the electorate ; and
WHEREAS, fair election contemplates disclosure by the candidate of materials relating to his/her personal backgrounds including his/her education, profession, antecedent and income along with assets held by him/her and his/her liabilities to Government, Banks, Financial Institutions, etc. which are relevant information to the electorate for making a choice;
NOW, THEREFORE, the State Election Commission, in exercise of the said Act, hereby issues directions as follows:-
1) Every candidate at the time of filing his/her nomination paper seeking election to Sinlung Hills Council shall furnish full and complete information regarding his/her personal backgrounds in the form of declaration - ‘Annexure-I : Affidavit to be furnished by a candidate along with Nomination Paper’; and ‘Annexure-II in the form of Affidavit to be furnished by the candidate about Antecedent’. However, if that affidavit is not filed by any candidate along with his nomination paper, it may be filed subsequently but latest by 3:00 PM on the last date for making nomination so that the same is available with the Returning Officer at the time of scrutiny of his/her nomination.
2) The information furnished by each candidate in the declaration (in the form of Affidavit - Annexure - I & II) shall be disseminated by the Returning Officer by displaying a copy of the declaration on the Notice Board of his office and also by making copies thereof freely available to all other candidates, and representatives of the media, as necessary.
3) These affidavits should be on non-judicial stamp paper of Rs.10/- and should be sworn before Magistrate of the First Class or a notary public or an Executive Magistrate.
4) Non-furnishing of these affidavits by any candidate may result in the rejection of his nomination by the Returning Officer at the time of scrutiny of nomination. However, the furnishing of any wrong information or suppression of any material information there-from will not be a ground for rejection of nomination paper, though it may attract penal action under Section 177 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The Returning Officer shall ensure that copies of the declaration format and affidavit format prescribed herein by the Commission are delivered to the candidates along with nomination papers.
