Prez election: EC issues guidelines

NEW DELHI: With the presidential election becoming one of the most bitterly contested, the Election Commission has for the first time issued a series of guidelines to ensure that the successor to APJ Abdul Kalam is chosen smoothly.

The guidelines relate to issues as diverse as video coverage of critical events to a ban on carrying cell phones by voters inside polling stations and the showing of proper identification by MPs and MLAs on the polling day.

The commission said the videography of critical events should cover storage of ballot boxes, papers and other election materials, as well as opening of strong rooms for shifting ballot boxes and papers.

The visuals should clearly establish the placement of voting compartment and seating arrangements from the point of view of maintaining the secrecy of the ballot, it said.

If any incident occurs during the course of polling that could impact the orderly and smooth conduct of the election, it should also be videographed and poll officials have got an active role to play in this matter, it said.

“However, under no circumstances the video coverage shall result in compromising the ballot secrecy even remotely,” the commission said.

As part of efforts to ensure orderly conduct of the poll, it banned the carrying of cell phones, cordless phones and wireless sets inside polling stations by voters and poll officials.

Observing that the commission has recently allowed MLAs to cast their votes in exceptional cases at any of the state headquarters subject to seeking prior permission, the EC said every voter must carry identification documents.

“While there may not be any necessity to verify the identification of the legislators who are known to the presiding officer, such reference documents would be handy for verifying the identification of newly-elected members by the presiding officer before issuing the ballot paper,” it said.