Corrupt practices

The following shall be deemed to be corrupt practices for the purposes of this Chapter :— (1) “Bribery” that is to say— (A) any gift, offer or promise by a candidate or his agent or by any other person with the consent of a candidate or his election agent of any gratification, to any person whomsoever, with the object, directly or indirectly of including— (a) a person to stand or not stand as, or to withdraw or not to withdraw from being a candidate at an election, or (b) an elector to vote refrain from voting at an election, or as a reward to— (i) a person for having so stood, or for having withdrawn or not having withdrawn his candidature; or (ii) an elector for having voted or refrained from voting; (B) the receipt of, or agreement to receive, any gratification, whether as a motive or a reward— (a) by a person for standing or not standing as, or for withdrawing or not withdrawing from being a candidate; or (b) by any person whomsoever for himself or any other person for voting or refraining from voting, or attempting to include any elector to vote or refrain from voting, or any candidate to withdraw or not to withdraw his candidature. Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, the term “gratification” is not restricted to pecuniary gratifications or gratifications estimable in money and it includes all forms of entertainment and all forms of employment for reward, but it does not include the payment of any expenses bona fide incurred at, or for the purpose of any election and duly entered in the account of election expenses referred to in section 145G. (2) Undue influence, that is to say, any direct or indirect interference or attempt to interfere on the part of the candidate or his agent, or of any other person with the consent to the candidate or his election agent with the free exercise of any electoral right : Provided that—