Accra, Dec. 27, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday spelt-= out voting, electoral rules and regulations for the December 28 District and Unit Committee Elections.

The directives, which was copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra indicated that before the start of the polls at 0700 hours, the Presiding Officer is to bring together Polling Assistants, a Security Officer and any available Polling Agents and open each of the ballot boxes in their presenc= e and take out the election materials to ascertain that all items are available. "The Presiding Officers must post the voting steps, notice of poll a= nd how to mark the ballot posters at the head of the queue, ensure that each candidate is represented by only one polling or counting agent at a time at the polling station. "Start work on time even if some or all the Polling Agents are late or not present, not to allow a Polling or Counting Agent to handle any of the election materials or meddle in the conduct of the election," the EC said= .. The EC directives also mandates a Presiding Officer to give permission for a voter who is blind or physically challenged to be assisted at the voting premises to exercise his or her franchise. On maintenance of law and order, the EC named the Presiding Officers a= s person responsible for the orderly conduct of the poll at the polling stations. "Presiding Officers are empowered by law to instruct a security offi= cer to remove from the polling station any person, including a Polling Agent, whose behaviour disturbs the voting process.

"Cause the arrest of any person charged with impersonation, violence= , voting more than once or concealing a ballot paper on his or her body at th= e polling station. "And cause the arrest of any person campaigning within 100 meters of the polling station," the EC directed. On the closure of polls, EC instructed that at 1700 hours, the polls must be closed and the security officer instructed to stand at the end of the queue and ensure that no one joins it. "All persons in the queue at the close of polls are however to be allowed to vote."

The EC directs that the Unit Committee Votes be counted first in the full view of the Counting Agents, sum up the total number of votes cast for each candidate in all the polling stations in the Unit. The five Candidates with the highest number of votes are declared the elected members of the Unit Committee and a copy of the declaration of results form is to be posted at a conspicuous place at the Unit Centre. The procedure for the District Assembly Election, the Deputy Returning Officer will sum up the total number of votes cast for each candidate at al= l the polling stations throughout the Electoral Area. "At the end of the collation, the candidate with the highest number of votes is declared the winner for the Electoral Area. A0 copy of the declaration of results form is to be posted in a conspicuous place at the Electoral Area Centre," the EC noted.