CHANDIGARH, Fabrury 19: The Chief Electoral Officer Punjab Dr. S Karuna Raju on Saturday exhorted the voters across the state’s to ensure full participation in the voting exercise zealously for assembly Constituencies to be held from 8 am to 6 pm on Sunday (Fabrury 20).
Making a fervent appeal to the voters, Dr. S Karuna Raju said they should exercise their right to franchise to uphold the ethos of democratic system as envisaged in the Indian Constitution. He said in case any candidate or his agent/any other person, who has been authorised by the candidate, tries to bribe or influence the voters directly or indirectly to cast vote or prevent him from voting tantamount to blatant violation of section 123 of The People’s Representation Act 1951. Under this Act bribe is not only considered as pecuniary benefits rather any source of entertainment or providing job of any type is also amounts to infringement of the Act. Besides this, intimidating voters, giving threats of social boycott, excommunicating them from caste or community, making spiritual influence directly or indirectly is also an infringement of this Act. The CEO also pointed out that apart from this any vehicle or mode of transport to be used by the candidate or his/her agent directly or indirectly to ferry the voters with their consent also violative of the section 123 of the Act.
The CEO also impressed upon the voters if any person gives them money, liquor, intoxicants or tries to induce or intimidate in anyway as above mentioned, the voters should immediately lodge complaint in this regard on C-vigil app or voters helpline no 1950.
