The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Election Committee has extended voting timing for the upcoming SCBA elections 2020-21 to 2 days instead of the customary 1. But possibly carried away by the decision, the Committee appears to have introduced a typo in voting timings, which categorically state that elections will open from 7 AM on February 27, 2022 (instead of 2021) and remain open till February 28, 2021. Apart from the first-ever online voting for the elections, the time given for the election is ending up mind-bending for many who saw the message.
“The Voting hours shall now be extended to start now from 0700 hrs. i.e. 7:00 AM on 27th February 2022 and shall remain open all throughout till 1900 hrs. i.e. 7:00 PM on 28 February 2021,” said the minutes of meeting issued by the Election Committee in its fourth meeting conducted on Monday.
The SCBA Election Committee notification said after having deliberated upon the advice of the Health Advisory Committee and the suggestions received from members of the Bar, it has decided to extend the voting timings.
But the advisory of the AIIMS Health Committee was for this year only i.e. 2021 not 2022, but the minutes of the meeting held by Election Committee suggest otherwise.
In his letter dated February 10, 2021, Supreme Court Assistant Registrar Srikanth G. Pai had informed the SCBA Hony. Secretary (Acting) regarding recommendation of Health Advisory Team constituted by AIIMS, to conduct upcoming SCBA elections 2020-2021 on ‘Online Platform’.
Today, the Election Committee has notified the change in the Voting timings after considering the advice of the AIIMS Health Advisory Committee and also the suggestions of experts from the NSDL.
It has resolved that there shall be no partial physical voting as contemplated earlier in the SCBA Elections 2020-21 to be held on February 27, 2021.
It has further been decided that the members who have opted for physical voting shall be automatically allowed to vote online through e-voting.
Members have been advised to keep protected and not share their respective email passwords, as well as OTP, received upon logging in NSDL platform for e-Voting. This is mandatory to ensure the sanctity, secrecy and integrity of their vote.
The Committee has further warned that strict action shall be taken against members of beneficiary candidates who share the passwords of email or OTP received from NSDL to allow surrogate voting. On complaints and proper verification, the guilty members may be debarred from future voting or the results of the beneficiary candidates may be cancelled.
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