Contesting candidates sans security guards allowed to be present in counting hall

Chandigarh, May 12, 2014: The Election Commission of India today clarified that as per the provisions of Section 50 of Representation of People Act 1951, a contesting candidate (whether he is sitting MP/MLA/MLC) has a right to be present in the counting hall in addition to counting agents.
In a clarification issued today a spokesman of ECI said that contesting candidates would be permitted with a stipulation that security persons with arms should not get into counting hall. He said that such candidates would be asked to give an undertaking that they are surrendering their security on their own voluntarily to sit in the counting hall.
The spokesman further clarified that the only exception would be in the case of SPG protectees or other similarly placed persons who can be permitted to be accompanied only with one SPG personnel in plain clothes.