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Article 83
 

(1) The voting documents of voters registered in retirement homes shall be delivered to the voters personally in the retirement home. Unless delivered to the voter prior to admittance as a patient into a hospital, the voting documents of patients in hospitals shall be delivered to the voter personally in the hospitals. The voter may opt to deliver the voting document to the Chairperson of the Sub-Committee for safekeeping, and such Chairperson shall return the same to the voter on the day fixed for voting or on such earlier day as may be requested by the voter


(2) Voters in retirement homes and hospitals shall have the option to proceed to the polling place:


(a) without the assistance of any person;


(b) with the assistance of members of the staff;


(c) with the assistance of members of their families;


and it shall be the responsibility of the sub-committee to ascertain the option chosen by each voter. The sub-committee shall ascertain the option chosen by each voter as soon as possible after the delivery of the voting documents to the voters and shall inform in writing the party delegates of the option chosen by each voter.


(3) A medical consultant having in his care any voter residentat a hospital or retirement home may, by issuing a medical certificate to that effect, draw the attention of the Commission to any dangers inherent to the health of his patient should he be moved for the purposes of being taken to vote. Such certificate will, however, in no way effect the right of that voter, or his next of kin where applicable, to ignore the medical warning and decide to cast his vote.


(4) Voters opting to be assisted by members of the staff shall be accompanied by members of the staff chosen from a pool thereof nominated in equal numbers by all the political parties. Political parties shall have the right to demand, and the Commission shall have the duty to ensure, that if the ordinary staff at such homes and hospitals is not sufficient for the purposes of this article other persons are transferred to such homes and hospitals for such purpose.


(5) Voters opting to be assisted by members of the staff or by members of their families shall, notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, be so accompanied up to the door of the relative polling booth.


(6) (a) During the day fixed for the voting no person shall without the authority of the Commission be allowed to enter retirement homes and hospitals.


(b) The provisions of paragraph (a) shall not apply to members of the sub-committee, members of the staff and relatives of patients who have been previously authorised to accompany voters to vote:


Provided that such relatives shall at all times wear proper identification tags issued to them by the Commission for the purpose.


(7) Except with the special authorisation of the sub-committee, no voter in a retirement home and hospital who has chosen the option to vote on his own or to be accompanied by members of his family may be taken to vote by members of the staff.