Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 10 April 2024
In view of the upcoming polls in the A & N Islands Parliamentary Constituency slated for April 19 from 7 am to 6 pm, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a set of stringent guidelines to ensure the smooth conduct of the electoral process. The instructions primarily focus on regulating the movement of vehicles and prohibiting canvassing near Polling Stations and Candidate Election Booths.
According to the directives issued by the ECI, each contesting candidate will be entitled to one vehicle for personal use throughout the constituency on Poll Day. Additionally, one vehicle for the use of their election agent is permitted. It is mandatory for the Poll Day permission of respective vehicles to be visibly displayed on their windshields. The ECI emphasised that any illegal hiring of vehicles for voter conveyance on Poll Day will be considered a corrupt practice and an electoral offence, inviting strict action.
Furthermore, the guidelines stipulate that private vehicles utilised by owners or their family members for traveling to Polling Booths to cast votes are permitted upto a radius of 200 meters of the Polling Station. Vehicles carrying more than five individuals, including the driver, are prohibited.
The ECI also strictly prohibits any form of canvassing within a 100-meter radius of the Polling Station. This includes acts such as soliciting votes, persuading electors to vote for or against a particular candidate, persuading voter not to vote in the election or displaying any election-related sign or material.
Candidate Election Booths are permitted to be set up beyond a distance of 200 meters from the Polling Station. These booths can consist of one table and two chairs for the use of agents/workers to distribute unofficial identity slips to voters. Additionally, to provide protection from adverse weather conditions, such as sun or rain, the use of an umbrella or tarpaulin is allowed.
The electorate of the A&N Islands Parliamentary Constituency has been urged to become informed voters and contribute to upholding the democratic principles of free, fair, and transparent elections. The Date of Poll in Andaman and Nicobar Islands Parliamentary Constituency is on April 19, 2024 (Friday), with polling hours from 7 am to 6 pm.