Vidhi Codex

Bare Act

The Goa, Daman and Diu (Opinion Poll) Act, 1966

General196635 sections

The Goa, Daman and Diu (Opinion Poll) Act, 1966 provides the statutory framework for conducting a historic referendum to determine the future political status of Goa, Daman, and Diu. It applies to all registered electors in these territories, as well as election officials acting under the authority of the Chief Election Commissioner. The legislation matters because it allowed residents to democratically decide whether Goa should merge with Maharashtra or remain a Union territory, and whether Daman and Diu should merge with Gujarat or remain a Union territory. It sets out detailed rules for polling, vote counting, preventing fraud, and reporting final outcomes.

Start reading →Read full ActSections
  1. 1. Short title and commencement
  2. 2. Definitions
  3. 3. Opinion Poll to ascertain the future status of Goa, Daman and Diu
  4. 4. Persons entitled to vote at opinion poll
  5. 5. Fees not to be paid on applications for inclusion of names in electoral roll, etc.
  6. 6. Conduct of opinion poll under the superintendence, direction and control of Chief Election Commissioner
  7. 7. Opinion poll commissioner
  8. 8. Assistant opinion poll commissioners
  9. 9. Opinion poll commissioner to include assistant opinion poll commissioners performing the functions of opinion poll commissioner
  10. 10. General duty of opinion poll commissioner
  11. 11. Provision of polling stations
  12. 12. Appointment of presiding officers for polling stations
  13. 13. General duty of presiding officer
  14. 14. Duty of a polling officer
  15. 15. Staff of every local authority to be made available for work in connection with opinion poll
  16. 16. Notification for opinion poll
  17. 17. Fixing time for opinion poll
  18. 18. Adjournment of opinion poll in emergencies
  19. 19. Fresh opinion poll in case of destruction, etc., of ballot boxes
  20. 20. Manner of voting at opinion poll
  21. 21. Special procedure for voting by certain classes of persons
  22. 22. Special procedure for preventing personation of electors
  23. 23. Voting at an opinion poll
  24. 24. Counting of votes
  25. 25. Destruction, loss, etc., of ballot papers at the time of counting
  26. 26. Declaration of results
  27. 27. Report of the result
  28. 28. Offences at opinion poll
  29. 29. Fresh opinion poll in case of extensive prevalence of offences referred to in section 28
  30. 30. Other electoral offences
  31. 31. Application of certain provisions of Act 43 of 1951
  32. 32. Delegation of functions of Chief Election Commissioner
  33. 33. Power to make rules
  34. 34. Jurisdiction of civil courts barred
  35. 35. Removal of difficulties

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