Himalayan Times (1957)

February 24, 1957

Fir.

DO'S AND DONT'S

In the intereit of
democracy the general
elections should be free,
fair and clean. Our first
general elections in 1951-
1952 earned universal
approbation for the effi-
ciency, discipline and
orderliness.

Fair, free and clean
elections entail a certain
oode of behaviour, depar-
ture from which may lead
to serious consequences.
It is, therefore, essential
to have that code in mind
even in the dust and din
of election fury and re-
member the various re-
gulations under the elec-
toral laws.

After the nomination
is accepted and symbol
assigned it is usual for
a candidate to open his
election campaign solicit-
ing votes from the voters.

He should tell the
voters to which polling
station they will have to
go and persuade' them to
reach there early.

He should check that
each voter who is expec-
ted to support him has
got his indrntity chit
giving the voter's name,
aerial number in the elec-
toral roll, name of village
or ward, and the page
number of the roll in
which the voter's name
is entered.

FOR CANDIDATES

The oandidate or his
worker should also ins-
truct the voters as to
how to insert a ballot
paper into a Ballot box.

On the polling day
the polling agents have a
very vital task to per-
form. They should reach
the polling stations suffi-
ciently before the polling
commences so that they
can participate in the
prfparation of ballot boxes
for receipt of the ballot
papers. During the pol-
ling they should be vigi-
lant to detect imperso-
nations and should chal-
lenge every voter whom
they regard as not a real
one.

Don'ts

The candidate must
realise that the elections
should be fought on the
political plane alone and
in a olean way. It is here
that a number of don'ts
specified in the law apply.

The candidate must
not bribe any voter or
exercise any undue in-
fluence, by threatening
him with social ostracism
or divine displeasure. He
mu9t also not exploit re-
ligious or national sym-
bols for this purpose.

He muBt also not in-
duce any one to remove
ballot papers from the
polling booth, and he

must not arrange for any
conveyance to a voter to
and from the polling sta-
tion.

A candidate should
see that none of his sup-
porters oreates distur-
bance at the election
meeting arranged in sup-
port of the rival candi-
dates. He should not hold
or attend a public meet-
ing on aDy day, whioh.is
a polling day in that par-
ticular area.

No oandidate is al-
lowed to canvass for
votes; or solicit a voter
within a distance of 100
yards of polling station.
It is an offence, within
the same distance, to ask
a voter npt to vote for
a candidate or not to
vote at all or to hold a
meeting, use a loud spea-
ker or exhibit any notice
or sign relating to the
election.

The secrecy of the
ballot must not be viola-
ted by any one.

The polling agents
are prohibited from taking
any note ol the serial
number of auv ballot
paper supplied to «r>voter.

Such are some of the
* points to be borne in
mind by the candidates
The task of conducting
the elections would be
made easy if everyone
behaves reasonably and
within the bounds of law.