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Article 90
 

With respect to the building designated by the Commission for the counting of ballot papers the Commission shall ensure that

(a) all roads of access at least within 500 metres of the said building are closed and patrolled by the Police who shall permit entry only to authorised persons and only after scrupulously having ascertained their identity;

(b) entry into the actual building or perimeter shall be checked by both the Police, the Commission and representatives of the political parties;

(c) a number of rooms as may be necessary either in or as near as possible to the building wherein the counting hall is situated shall be provided to ensure full press and broadcasting coverage of the counting and transfer of ballot papers:

Provided that the entrance to such room shall at all times be guarded by the Police who shall only allow entry to bona fide broadcasting personnel and newspaper reporters who shall have been previously accredited by the Commission; the Commission having the right and the duty to ensure that all the broadcasting personnel and newspaper reporters so accredited by it, carry out only those functions directly related to their professions, failing which such an accreditation is to be cancelled by the Commission. The Commission is further bound to give the political parties, not later than five days prior to the date of the poll, a detailed list of all those persons accredited by it to carry out any functions at the counting hall during the counting process.

(d) an area adjacent and communicating with the counting hall shall be provided for the storage of the ballot boxes and that during the time the boxes are stored in such area they shall at all times be visible from all parts of the counting hall and the party delegates and their sub-delegates shall have the right of free access thereto at all times;

(e) a number of rooms as near as possible to the counting hall shall be provided for every political party contesting the election and shall be equipped with such facilities as the Commission, after consulting the political parties, think fit;

(f) in the counting hall itself counters shall be separated from the candidates and agents by a wall of unbreakable transparent material on similar sturdy transparent material except for some means, including any appropriate electronic device, of clear communication for the purpose of speaking through and except in the cases expressly provided for in this Act, access to the area designated by the Commission for the counting of ballot papers shall only be allowed to candidates and agents with the express consent of the Commission:

Provided that the party delegates and six substitutes thereof, previously nominated by such delegates, shall have free access to the counting area at all times;

(g) the disposition of the counting area shall be such that as far as possible all the counting process can be closely viewed by candidates, agents and representatives of political parties;

(h) all rooms and corridors which are not being used for a purpose designated by the Commission shall be barred and all areas leading thereto closed;

(j) adequate back-up facilities for services failure are provided especially with respect to lighting;

(j) there is strict security at all times in and around the building, that entry is restricted to authorised persons only and that no lethal instruments or instruments which may be rendered lethal are introduced in the building;

(k) at least thirty days before the start of voting the Commissioner shall show the party delegates how they propose to allocate and separate the different areas of the said building and shall consider suggestions made by the said delegates in this regard;

(l) notwithstanding anything else contained in this Act, the party delegates and their substitutes, shall at all times have access to any part of the building for the purpose of ensuring that the provisions of this Act are being enforced.