TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Bringing relief to those who might have misplaced their Election Photo Identity Card, the Election Commission has allowed the use of alternative photo identity documents for voting purpose.
The Commission in a statement has also made it clear that the electors at this General Election will have to establish their identity at the polling stations by means of the EPICs issued to them under the Election Commission. Those electors who are not able to produce the EPIC will have to produce alternative photo identity documents.
These documents include –passports, driving licence, service identity cards issued to its employees by state/central government, public sector undertakings, public limited companies, bank/ post office passbooks, PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, smart cards issued by RGI under NPR, MNREGA job card, Health Insurance smart card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour, pension documents with photographs and authenticated photo voters slip issued by the election machinery will be allowed to be used.
It may be recalled that the possession of an EPIC card does not guarantee a vote, rather a person can vote only if his or her name exists on the voters list.
As directed by the Commission earlier, authenticated photo voters slips will be distributed to all electors a few days before the poll day. On the day of polling, one officer (BLO) will be on duty outside each polling station, during polling hours, with undistributed photo voter slips, so that any elector who has not been issued authenticated photo voters slip, can collect their authenticated photo voters slip in original outside the polling stations. It will be ensured that the officer with the undistributed photo voter slips sits at a facilitation desk set up at a conspicuous place outside the polling station.
Dry Days: The state Government has directed that all licensed premises “for the sale of liquor” in Goa will be closed from 6 pm of April 10, 2014 till the time of conclusion of poll on April 12, 2014 and the day of counting on May 16, 2014, in view of Lok Sabha elections in Goa.
The licensed premises having licence for “Bar and Restaurant” may be allowed to keep the restaurant open for serving food only. However, the Bar counter will be closed and no liquor will be allowed to served on those days. The owners of the license premises having “Bar & Restaurant” should also display a board in the premises that no liquor will be served and that the restaurant will be open for serving food only.
