GOI issues Gazette Notification, amending the rules in VCI elections

Pashu Sandesh, 06 November 2019

Ministry of Fisheries, Dairying and Animal Husbandry, Government of India has issued a Gazette notification on 29th November 2019 amending the Veterinary Council Rules 1985. In the partial modification to the VCI Rules 1985, the rules for Elections (rule 16,19, 20 and 21)has been amended. Rule 17 and 18 omitted. The amendment of the rules are as follows: 

Rule 16 Voting:

1. If the number of duly nominated candidates for election does not exceed the number of members to be elected, the Returning Officer shall forthwith declare such candidates duly elected. 

2. If the number of such candidates exceeds the number of members to be elected, the Returning Officer shall fix a period of not exceeding seven days for the election of members through online voting. 

3. For online voting, the eligible voter has to follow the following procedure, namely:- 

• he may log in with his registered number in the Indian veterinary practitioners' register ;
• after login, he shall receive a one-time password (OTP) on his mobile number registered with the State veterinary council or the Veterinary council of India ;
• on entering such one time password, the voter shall be able to see a list of contesting candidates and then he may vote by ticking () as many candidates as there are seats to be filled by the election;
• After voting, the voter shall get an acknowledgement that he has completed the voting process successfully;
•  After voting, the voter shall be automatically logged out and re-voting is not possible.” 

Rule 19 Counting of Votes:

(1) The Returning Officer shall, on the date and time fixed by him for this purpose, enter the password and get the number of votes received by each contesting candidates.
(2) Any contesting candidate or his representative duly authorised in writing by him may remain present in person to watch the process of counting.

Rule 20 Declaration of the Results:

(1) The Returning Officer shall draw up a list of candidates in order of highest votes polled and declare the candidates elected, in that order according to the number of seats to be filled up.
(2) When there is equality of votes among any two or more candidates, the candidate who shall be deemed to have been elected shall be determined by lots to be drawn by the Returning Officer in such manner as he may decide. 

(3) The Returning Officer shall, as soon as the result is declared, inform each successful candidate of his being elected to the Council. 

(4) If any candidate declared elected under sub-rule (1) refuses to act as member, then in the place of that candidate, one of the remaining unsuccessful candidate to whom the next largest number of votes have been polled, shall be deemed to have been elected and the same procedure shall be adopted as often as any vacancy is caused in this way.

Rule 21 Retaining of Election documents:

After the declaration of results, the Returning Officer shall preserve all the documents relating to an election for a period of six months and shall not destroy, after this period, without the previous concurrence of the Central Government