New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday directed that only non-transparent cardboard and plastic board should be used for setting up voting compartments in a polling station in order to maintain secrecy of voting.
Taking serious note of poor quality materials used for
such purpose, the EC said if more than one ballot unit was
used for poll, the width of the voting compartment should be
increased as per requirement.
"In no case voting compartment should be placed near the
window and door. It must be ensured that secrecy of votes is
not violated in any case," it said.
During last few elections, it has come to its notice that
in many polling stations the voting compartments were not
erected in desirable manner, the EC said.
While in some cases, the voting compartments made with
the help of cardboards were not of sufficient height; in
others the cloth used was of poor quality and transparent. "In
such cases, the secrecy of voting could have been
compromised," the Commission said.
Noting that voting compartments were placed next to
windows/doors in certain other cases, the EC said in such
cases, it was quite possible that others could see, guess the
electors casting their votes. In the process, secrecy of
voting could be compromised, it warned.
In order to maintain secrecy of vote, the voting
compartment should be made only of non-transparent cardboard
and plastic board, the EC added.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, November 21, 2009, 00:37