Representation of the People Order, 1972 এর অধিকতর সংশোধনকল্পে প্রণীত আইন যেহেতু নিম্নবর্ণিত উদ্দেশ্যসমূহ পূরণকল্পে Representation of the People Order, 1972 (President's Order No. 155 of 1972 ) এর অধিকতর সংশোধন সমীচীন ও প্রয়োজনীয়; সেহেতু এতদ্দ্বারা নিম্নরূপ আইন করা হইল:-
(১) এই আইন Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2023 নামে অভিহিত হইবে।
(২) ইহা অবিলম্বে কার্যকর হইবে।
উক্ত Order এর Article 12 এর-
এবং
"(i) a certified copy of return submitted under section 166 of আয়কর আইন, ২০২৩ (২০১৩ সনের ১২ নং আইন) and a proof of submission of return as required by section 264 of the said Act.
উক্ত Order এর Article 15 এর clause (2)-এ উল্লিখিত "rejection of" শব্দগুলির পরিবর্তে “the decision of the Returning Officer on" শব্দগুলি প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে।
উক্ত Order এর Article 25 এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ Article 25 প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা :-
"25. (1) If the Presiding Officer finds at any stage of polling that-
he shall then forthwith stop polling, and inform the nearest members of law enforcing agencies about the incidents and shall ask for assistance to remove and arrest the said person or persons.
(2) The members of law enforcing agencies shall at once remove and arrest the said person or persons and restore law and order inside the polling station.
(3) If the members of law enforcing agencies fail to remove and arrest the said person or persons and restore law and order inside the polling station, the Presiding Officer shall stop the poll and leave the polling station with all his officers and report to the Returning Officer of the matter.
(4) Where a poll has been stopped under clause (3), the Returning Officer shall immediately report the circumstances to the Commission and the Commission shall direct a fresh poll at that polling station, unless it is satisfied that the result of the election has been determined by the polling station, taken with the results of the polling at other polling stations in the same constituency.
(5) Where the Commission orders a fresh poll under clause (4), the Returning Officer shall, with the approval of the Commission, fix a date and place for such fresh poll and shall give public notice thereof.
(6) When a fresh poll to be taken under clause (5) at a polling station, all electors entitled to vote of that polling station shall be allowed to vote and no vote cast at the poll stopped under clause (3) shall be counted; and the provisions of this Order and the rules and orders made thereunder shall apply to such fresh poll."
উক্ত Order এর Article 31 এর clause (2) এর sub-clause (d) এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ sub-clause (d) প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-
"(d) the ballot paper shall on its back be stamped with the official mark and signed by the Assistant Presiding Officer,"।
উক্ত Order এর Article 36 এর-
"(i) no official mark and signature;"; এবং
উক্ত Order এর Article 44AA এর clause (2) এ উল্লিখিত “, if he is an income tax assessee," কমাগুলি ও শব্দগুলি বিলুপ্ত হইবে।
উক্ত Order এর Article 78 এর clause (2) এ উল্লিখিত "the provisions of clause (1)” শব্দগুলি, সংখ্যা ও বন্ধনীর পরিবর্তে "the provisions of clause (1) or clause (1A)" শব্দগুলি, সংখ্যাগুলি ও বন্ধনী প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে।
উক্ত Order এর Article 84 এর পর নিম্নরূপ নূতন Article 84A সন্নিবেশিত হইবে, যথা:-
"84A. If a person by threat, intimidation, hurt or otherwise by application of force, obstructs or tries to obstruct any person performing duties in connection with any election under this Order, or obstructs or tries to obstruct any representative of media or observer authorized by the Commission in connection with any election under this Order, and/or does any harm to his body or damage to his equipment related to performance of duty or prevents or tries to prevent any voter from going to polling station to cast vote or any candidate from submitting nomination paper, or compels or tries to compel any candidate to withdraw nomination paper, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and shall not be less than two years, and also with fine."।
উক্ত Order এর Article 90B এর clause (1) এর sub-clause (b) এর paragraph (ii) এ উল্লিখিত "2020” সংখ্যার পরিবর্তে "2030" সংখ্যা প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে।
উক্ত Order এর Article 90D এর proviso-এ উল্লিখিত "twelve months from the date of first sitting of ninth parliament" শব্দগুলির পরিবর্তে "30 (thirty) days from the date of application for registration" সংখ্যা ও শব্দগুলি প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে।
উক্ত Order এর Article 91 এর-
"(aa) withhold the result of any polling station or polling stations, if it is convinced that the result of such polling station or polling stations was grossly prejudiced by malpractices including coercion, intimidation, manipulation or otherwise, and after prompt inquiry of the matter, in a manner as it may deem appropriate, direct publication of the result of such polling station or polling stations or declare the election of any such polling station or polling stations cancelled with direction for holding of a fresh poll in such polling station or polling stations, as that may seem to it to be just and appropriate;"।
উক্ত Order এর Article 91E এর clause (2) এর প্রান্তস্থিত “.” চিহ্নের পরিবর্তে “:” চিহ্ন প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে এবং অতঃপর নিম্নবর্ণিত proviso সন্নিবেশিত হইবে, যথা:-
"Provided that the candidate whose candidature has been cancelled under this clause shall not be eligible to be elected under Article 17."।