Lok Sabha Elections 2024: With the Lok Sabha elections set to kick off on April 19, there's a surge in queries from the public. A common concern revolves around what happens if someone else votes on your behalf. What would you do if you found that your vote has already been cast by someone else? Are you still able to exercise your right to vote? What measures need to be taken for this? Read the article to know the answers to all your questions.
What if someone votes in your name?
If you find yourself in such a situation, then a provision has been made by the Election Commission for this. If you have a voter ID and voting slip then you will get a chance to vote. However, your vote will be marked as tendered ballot paper and kept separate.
If the polling officer tells you on arrival inside the polling station that your vote has already been cast, then under the Indian Election Act 1961, if someone votes in your name, then you can bring this to the attention of the presiding officer immediately.
The law allows you to cast a Tendered Vote. A Tendered Ballot Paper, as per Rule 49P of the Conduct of Elections Rules, will be given to you and you will be required to sign your name on the list of tendered votes. This cannot be done on the electronic voting machine. A tendered ballot paper is the same as the ballot paper displayed on the balloting unit, except that it shall be endorsed on the back, with the words, “Tendered Ballot Paper” either stamped by the returning or written by the presiding officer at the time of issuing it.
After marking your choice of candidate with the help of an arrow cross mark rubber stamp you should hand over the tendered ballot paper to the presiding officer, who will keep it in a separate cover.
Let us tell you that tendered ballot paper is also called the challenged vote. Election officials will check who has voted in your place. After this either one of the two votes will be counted.
What happens when your vote is challenged?
In case your identity as a voter is challenged by a polling agent of any candidate, on the ground that you are not the person whose name is listed on the rolls, the Presiding Officer will ask the challenger to give evidence in proof, of his challenge. Similarly, he will ask you for proof of your identity. You can use your EPIC or any other supporting document like a passport, ration card for this purpose. If the challenge is not established, you will be allowed to
vote. However, if the challenge is established, you will be debarred from voting and handed over to the police with a written complaint by the presiding officer.
How many people are eligible to vote this time?
The Election Commission of India has informed that about 97 crore Indians will be eligible to vote in this Lok Sabha election. The Election Commission has reported that 96.88 crore people in India are registered to vote for the upcoming general elections, which is the largest voter pool in the world. According to the Commission, the number of registered voters has increased by six per cent since the last Lok Sabha elections in 2019.
When are the elections?
Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be held in a total of seven phases. Voting for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, encompassing 21 states and Union Territories is slated to commence on April 19. The Lok Sabha elections of 2024 will be conducted across seven phases, starting on April 19, followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Vote counting will be done on June 4.
