Removal of electronic voting machine from polling station to be an offence

(1) Any person who at any election fraudulently takes or attempts to take an electronic voting machine out of a polling station or wilfully aids or abets the doing of any such act shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.

1. (2) If the presiding officer of a polling station has reason to believe that any person is committing or has committed an offence punishable under sub- section (1), such officer may, before such person leaves the polling station, arrest or direct a police officer to arrest such person and may search such person or cause him to be searched by a police officer: Provided that, when it is necessary to cause a women to be searched, the search shall be made by another woman with strict regard to decency.
2. (3) Any electronic voting machine found upon the person arrested on search shall be made over for safe custody to a police officer by the presiding officer, or when the search is made by a police officer, shall be kept by such officer in safe custody.
3. (4) An offence punishable under sub-section (1) shall be cognizable. Explanation: In this Chapter, any reference to electronic voting machine shall also be construed as reference to ballot paper or ballot box wherever the