What if voting takes place at a booth beyond 4 pmIJ Will any vote cast after 4 pm be valid or invalid, legal or illegal lawful or unlawful IJ The Election Commission of India has set 7 am to 4 pm for voting. Palamu’s date with voting is on April 10.
Sources said it has been found in the 2009 lok Sabha election that voting continued well past 4 pm at some of the booths here causing a great uproar here and with strong street protests. But when the fact was placed it got mild and diluted but by then dozen of complaints were then faxed to the ECI Delhi.
First a voter who shows up his due identity proof and his/her name is found on the electoral roll with photograph is issued a small voting slip after putting signature or thumb impression and this voter with that voting slip gets into the queue but his turn comes after 4 pm even then this voter is eligible to cast vote despite clock showing more than 4 pm!
There is nothing illegal or any favouritism in it. The Returning Officer in Palamu KN Jha said a voter with that voting slip is to cast vote even if the clock shows beyond the end time 4 pm. But no voter if not issued any voting slip e any allowed to cast vote after the expiry of the time of voting. Sources reminded that in Delhi Vidhan Sabha election voting went on one hour beyond the expiry of the
voting time all because the voters obtained the voting slip and long queue resulted in the over continuation of polling there. Palamu struggles with low percentage of polling like 46% for lS election in 2009 and 51% for Vidhan Sabha election here and this has caused concern to the administration here. Jha has made a fervent appeal to the voters to keep their date with voting. Palamu administration has embarked upon SVEEP. SVEEP means systematic voters education for electoral participation in which indifferent voters are to be motivated to cast votes. Jha added school children, prabhat pheri, slogans, all will be roped in to hike the voting percentage here.
About school children he said these children will be asked by their teachers to tell their mummy papa to cast vote and not to venture out in the field for the whole day. Voters belonging to Adim Jan Jati show no keenness to vote in Palamu said sources. On the day of polling they choose other jobs like going to the forest to catch squirrel, snake and bird. Jha said these Adim janjati voters will be motivated to reach polling booths and as since they live in cut off areas the block welfare officials will arrange vehicles for them to reach the booths where they are to cast vote.