|
The
Indian electorate can now refer to the Ten Commandments
of the Catholic Bishops of Conference of India (CBCI)
before voting in world's largest democracy starting
April 16.
The decrees are as follows:
I. You shall ensure that your name is on the electoral
roll (ER) and that you have an updated elector's photo
identity card (EPIC).
II. You shall help the poor, marginalised,
underprivileged people to have their names on the ER by
sending a filled-in Form No. 6 to the chief electoral
officer of your state immediately.
III. You shall scrutinise election manifestos of various
political parties to ascertain their stand in favour of
vulnerable groups likes tribals, dalits, children, women
and minorities before you decide to support a candidate.
IV. You shall vote neither for parties/candidates that
are co-mmunal, casteist, criminal, corrupt and fascist,
nor for those that have not kept their previous
electoral promises.
V. You shall not accept any bribe/reward to vote for any
party/candidate. Taking bribe is as much an offence as
giving bribe, under Section 171B of IPC.
VI. You shall cast your vote early and also get others
to do so on voting day. Remember that any other valid
government photo ID can be a useful substitute for your
EPIC provided your name is on the ER.
VII. You shall insist on Tendered Vote under Rule 49-P
of the Conduct of Elections Rules 1961 “after convincing
the presiding officer of the genuineness of your
identity” even If someone else has already voted in your
name.
VIII. You shall exercise your “electoral right” by
declining to cast your vote (under the provision of Rule
49-O of the Conduct of Elections Rules 1961) if you are
not satisfied with any of the candidates. After having
signed on the Register of Voters and after having
received the voters' slip from the second polling
officer, you must inform immediately the presiding
officer at the polling station of your decision.
IX. You shall report immediately, in writing, cases of
bribery (for votes) booth-capturing, bogus voting (which
is an offence of impersonation under Section 171D of IPC),
etc. to the chief electoral officer of your state by fax
/ email (Find your CEO's email ID at http://eci.nic.in/Directories&photogallery/e-mailaddress-ceos.asp)
and also lodge a complaint at the nearest police
station.
|
