Electoral Commission: “Vote buying is an electoral crime, and any candidate who commits it will be referred to the judiciary.”
The Independent High Electoral Commission confirmed on Sunday that the punishment of the candidate who “buys votes” may occur even after his victory if the crime is proven, while indicating that some candidates deceive voters by intimidating them by saying that they “are able to know where their votes went and who they voted for.” The commission confirmed that “even it cannot know who the owner of the vote is and for whom he voted.” Assistant media spokesman for the Electoral Commission, Nibras Abu Souda, stated that “buying votes is an electoral crime and not a regulatory violation, and the candidate who practices it will be referred to the competent judiciary for investigation and trial. If vote buying is proven, the criminal penalties stipulated in the law will be applied and the candidate will be disqualified from running.”
She explained that, “If a candidate ran in the elections and obtained purchased votes, then upon proof of the crime, those votes will be withdrawn and deemed as if they had never been awarded to him. If the results are ratified and the accused is transferred to Parliament, the accountability mechanisms and dealing with him will remain subject to the provisions of parliamentary law and applicable legislative procedures, and may require subsequent measures taken by the competent authorities.”
She stressed that “the biometric card is a secure card, subject to strict security and protection measures implemented by the Commission at all levels of registration and data, and it is (practically) impossible for another person to use the biometric card because it is linked to its original owner and the biometric measurements stored in it,” according to the government newspaper.
She also explained that “the process of offering money to a voter in exchange for their biometric card does not give the candidate the ability to vote on behalf of the cardholder. Rather, it essentially represents bribery, bribery, or illegitimate influence over the voter’s will by enticing them with money.”
She also pointed out that “the voting process is strictly confidential, and no one, whether an employee of the commission or outside it, can ascertain the will of the voter or know which candidate their vote went to,” explaining that “this process is technically protected, as there is no indication on the ballot paper of the voter, nor does their name, electoral number, or any other indication that could identify them appear. Therefore, it is impossible to know where the voter’s vote went or for whom they voted.”
The spokesperson concluded by saying, “We mention the above because some candidates are trying to mislead voters by claiming that ‘the commission can determine their vote by examining the ballot paper.’ This is false and impossible, and is merely an attempt to intimidate and influence voters.”
Burathanews.com