Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
(1) Any person who at any election 352[unauthorisedly] takes, or attempts to take, a ballot paper out of a polling station, or wilfully aids or abets the doing of any such act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with a fine which may extend to rupees five hundred or with both. (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 woman to be searched, the search shall be made by another woman with strict regard to decency. (3) Any ballot paper found upon the person arrested on search shall be made over for safe custody to a police