Poll panel ready to pull repoll trigger

The EC will order repolling in booths where the number of tender votes exceeds 20. Repoll could, in fact, be ordered if the number is even less, provided the poll panel is convinced of malpractices.

The Election Commission will order repolling in booths where the number of tender votes exceeds 20. Repoll could, in fact, be ordered if the number is even less, provided the poll panel is convinced of malpractices.

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Chief electoral officer Basudeb Banerjee on Monday said the Election Commission would help the genuine voter exercise his franchise through tender vote if he finds that his vote has already been cast. A maximum of 20 tender votes can be cast (on ballot papers) in each booth. The poll panel will decide on repolling after taking into account the number of tender votes and cases of malpractice if any. Banerjee said the EC was providing each booth with extra ballot papers in case the number of tender votes exceeded 20.

The poll panel is also attaching a lot of importance to the identification of genuine voters. It has decided to pull up the officers concerned if they allowed people to cast their votes without checking their documents of identification. A team of polling officers, including the CEO, the special observer, the observers and concerned magistrate of sector office will randomly visit the booths to check if the identity of voters are being verified or not.

While the voter ID card will be considered an essential mark of identification, any of the other 15 items listed by the EC, will also serve the purpose. But if the voter’s name does not figure on the electoral rolls, he will not be able to cast his vote.

The team will also conduct surprise visits to check if the voters standing in queues are carrying proper documents. Voters, who have cast their votes and have the ink mark, will not be encouraged to hang around on the booth premises. Bogus voters will be arrested and kept in police custody for the night. Any presiding officer or officers concerned, found not checking the voters’ documents, would be suspended.