Hyderabad, November 22: Treating the past incidents of displaying their vote to the media or to others by political functionaries as violation of secrecy of vote, the State Election Commission (SEC) today warned of action against any person who violates the law. It further ordered that media persons cannot take interviews or audio-video bytes of voters or any other personalities for direct relay as that amounts to canvassing on the day of poll which is prohibited under Section 600 of GHMC Act, 1955.
Meanwhile in a separate press release, SEC secretary B Venkateswara Rao informed that the SEC cannot advise declaring a holiday in respect of the employees working outside the GHMC area.
The jurisdiction of authorities to declare a holiday extends only to the GHMC area and does not extend to areas beyond.
However, the SEC appealed to the Heads of Government offices and other establishments in those districts i.e. Medak, Rangareddy and Mahaboobnagar to permit such employees (who are residing in the GHMC area, but working in neighbouring districts) to attend late or to leave early to exercise their franchise.
—Agencies