Kohima, July 17 (MExN): Members of the Eleventh Nagaland Legislative Assembly have been informed that the fourteenth Presidential election 2012 is scheduled to be held on July 19 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Assembly Committee Room, Kohima. This was informed in a press release issued by NLA secretary AE Lotha. In this regard, directions for orderly conduct of polls have been announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The ECI mentioned that it had received complaints from certain States, in the past, that the electors were not given adequate facilities to assemble conveniently before the actual polling for the Presidential Election and that this resulted in (i) a large number of electors being present, at a given point of time within the place of poll and (ii) avoidable exchanges of words and other incidents within the place of poll.
To avoid occurrence of such incidents and to ensure peaceful polling and maintenance of absolute secrecy of voting for the ensuing Presidential Election, the Commission directed the Returning Officer/Assistant Returning Officers/Presiding Officers to the provisions contained in Section 22 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act 1952 and to firmly enforce the provisions of the law at the time of poll.
Section 22 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Act, 1952 provides that every officer, clerk or other person who performs any duty in connection with the recording or counting of votes at an election shall maintain, and aid in maintaining, the secrecy of the voting and shall not (except for some purpose authorized by or under any Laws) communicate to any person any information calculated to violate such secrecy.
Any person who contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both, the ECI reminded.
