2023 Election: INEC Bars Telephones From Polling Booths, Gives Reason
- Earlier, INEC released the legal framework and guidelines needed for the conduct of the 2023 general elections
- In the documents shared on its official Twitter page, the nation's electoral body barred telephones from polling booths, cubicles
- INEC also as part of the effort of ensuring the exercise is smooth, free and fair, okayed the electronic transfer of results
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has barred the use of telephones and electronic devices capable of taking pictures in polling booths, The Punch reports.
INEC made this disclosure on its official Twitter page, on Friday, June 3.
This development arose after the commission announced the release of its Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022.
Source: Facebook
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu confirmed the development
The commission tweeted:
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“The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has unveiled the revised INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections.”
INEC's guidelines for 2023 polls revealed
The 37-page document, downloadable from the commission’s website, contains 106 guidelines and regulations for elections as well as health measures during the conduct of elections.
INEC bars telephones from polling booths
In article 30 of the guideline, the commission stated that telephones and electronic devices capable of taking pictures are not allowed in polling booths.
Article 30, ‘Prohibition of the Use of Telephones and Other Electronic/Photographic Devices in the Voting Cubicle,’ states that,
“Telephones and other electronic devices capable of taking pictures are not allowed in voting cubicles.
“Voters may come to the Polling Unit with telephones and other electronic devices provided that they do not take them to the voting cubicles or take pictures of other voters while they are voting.”
INEC okays electronic transfer of results
INEC also, among other things, approved the electronic transmission of election results in the new guideline.
In article 38, ‘Electronic Transmission of Results and Upload of Results to IReV,’ the commission stated that, “On completion of all the Polling Unit voting and results procedures, the
Presiding Officer shall:
“(i) Electronically transmit or transfer the result of the Polling Unit, direct to the collation system as prescribed by the Commission.
“(ii) Use the BVAS to upload a scanned copy of the EC8A to the INEC Result
Viewing Portal (IReV), as prescribed by the Commission.
“(iii) Take the BVAS ( Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) and the original copy of each of the forms in tamper evident envelope to the Registration Area/Ward Collation Officer, in the company of Security Agents. The Polling Agents may accompany the Presiding Officer to the RA/Ward Collation Centre.”
Opposition party chairman reveals why INEC shift parties' primaries deadlines
INEC earlier advised the 18 registered political parties to go ahead and elect their party candidates across the board as there will not be any tinkering of the 2023 election.
The national chairman of the Zenith Labour Party said the move by the commission was an initiative of political parties and not the commission.
Nwanyanwu added that the shift would afford parties ample time to adjust their programmes ahead of the new deadline.
Source: Legit.ng
