Offence of booth capturing.

1[31A. Offence of booth capturing. - Whoever commits an offence of booth capturing shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term whi ch shall not be less than six months but which may extend to two years and with fine and where such offence is committed by a person in the service of the Government, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to three years and with fine. 1. Section 31A and 31B inserted by Act 29 of 1997 w.e.f. 20.10.1997. Explanation. - For the purpose of this section, 'booth capturing' includes among other things, all or any of the following activities, namely: - (a) seizure of a polling station or a place fixed for the poll by any person or persons, making polling authorities surrender the ballot papers 1[XXX]1 and doing of any other act which affects the orderly conduct of elections; (b) taking possess ion of a polling station or a place fixed for the poll by any person or persons and allowing only his or their own supporters to exercise their right to vote and prevent others from voting; (c) threatening any elector and preventing him from going to the polling station or a place fixed for the poll to cast his vote; (d) seizure of a place for counting of votes by any person or persons, making counting authorities surrender the ballot papers 1[XXX]1 and the doing of anything which affects the orderly coun ting of votes; (e) doing by any person in the service of Government of all or any of the aforesaid activities or aiding or conniving at, any such activity in furtherance of the prospects of the election of a candidate.