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Any election officer who fails to perform his or her duties as required by law commits an offence and is liable for a punishment, the new Public Elections Regulations, 2016, C.I.94, has specified.

The new regulations unlike the previous C.I. 75 which was used for the 2012 general elections, gives room for a summary conviction to a fine of not more than five hundred penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than two years or to both if an election officer is found culpable.

That aside, the said election officer having served his or her prison term shall for a period of five years from the date of expiration of the term of imprisonment be disqualified from being engaged as an election officer.

These provisions contained in the C.I. 94 are captured under the “Offences relating to elections” column, thus Regulations 44 (1) and (2), a copy of which is in possession of Kasapafmonline.com.

The said provision (Regulations 44(1) state that “The provisions in relation to election offences specified in the Representation of the People Act, 1992 (PNDCL 284) apply to these Regulations.

(2) An election officer who is required to perform a function under these Regulations but fails to perform, that function commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than five hundred penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than two years or to both and shall for a period of five years from the date of expiration of the term of imprisonment be disqualified from being engaged as an election officer.

The new Public Elections Regulations, 2016, C.I.94 when passed by Parliament will revoke the Public Elections Regulations, 2012, C.I.75.