Asking for vote within 100 meter radius of polling booth is a crime

Ranchi: Election process in Jharkhand is commencing from Monday with polling scheduled on Chatra Lohardaga and Palamu Lok Sabha seats of the state and in order to ensure that the election process is impartial and transparent the election commission of India has issued various instructions.

Chief Electoral Officer L Khiyangate said that on the day of the election asking for vote within hundred metre of the polling booth has been declared as a crime and if any person is found violating the norm then he can be arrested by the police without warrant under section 130 of the Public Representative Act 1951 and a case against him can also be registered.

He said that a ban has been also imposed to organise camp within 200 metres of the polling booths on the day of the election and if any candidate is found violating the norms then the officer can take requisite action and the camp can be removed he said that Election commission of India has taken this step so that the voters can cast their vote without any fear or apprehensions.

He said that any person who tries to take away the voting machine without authorisation outside the polling booth or tries to deliberately assist for create unnecessary trouble then it would be considered an offence.

He said that every person is expected to behave properly and follow the instructions of the returning officer and if any person indulges in wrong behaviour or fails to follow the directions of the returning officer then the returning officer has the right to remove him from the polling booth. He said that if the person enters inside the polling booth without the permission of the returning officer then he can be also arrested and a case against him can also be framed under which maximum sentence of 10 months which can be later extended to 3 months along with imposition of fine can be provided.

Mr Khiyangate said that the voters are also expected to maintain secrecy and follow the entire process for casting their vote and said that if despite the warning of the returning officer the person fails to maintain the secrecy of the votes and does not agree to follow the procedure of casting the votes then the returning officer or the polling officer can debar that person from casting is his vote.