HYDERABAD: The State Election Commissioner released the GHMC polls schedule and announced that the election code has come into place with immediate effect. The State Election Commissioner, C. Parthasarathy released the schedule along with guidelines related to poll expenditure here at a press conference, and said that the nominations procedure will start from November 18 (Wednesday) and end on November 20 (Friday).

The SEC also said that a maximum ceiling limit for election expenditure for each candidate should not exceed Rs 5 lakhs to ensure transparency in poll expenditure in accordance to the GHMC Act, 1955, rule 617 B.

As part of the poll guidelines, officials should ensure there is no distribution of liquor, cash, or kind during the election campaign to woo voters.

The election related expenditure will also include money spent on public meetings, posters, party rallies, banners which is permitted.

Expenditure related to the form of paid news in the daily newspapers also comes under poll expenditure.

SEC Parthasarathi, asking the officials to keep a watch on the advertisements given in the name of candidates by others.

The SEC said that there will be expenditure observers along with the video surveillance teams in every circle. Accounting teams in all the circles will be deployed.

There will be flying squads, static surveillance teams, and expenditure sensitive units in all the circles.

There will also be audit officers and cooperative deputy registrars.

The SEC asked the officials to verify the social media accounts of the candidates contesting in the elections.

The Media Coordination Monitoring Committee (MCMC) would finalise the rates as per the newspaper tariff rates including poster, banners, electronic media etc.

The SEC advised candidates to submit details of expenditure at regular intervals.

Elections for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will be held on December 1 and the counting will take place on December 4.