Singapore legislation

Section 42I

of Presidential Elections Act 1991

Section 42I

Restricted signage zone of polling station in Singapore

Amended byAct 9 of 2023 wef 01/06/2023

(1)

A person commits an offence if —

(a)

the person publicly displays, or causes to be publicly displayed, any traditional election advertising during the campaign period of an election;

(b)

the person is a candidate at the election, or is doing so on behalf of a candidate at the election;

(c)

the traditional election advertising relates to the election;

(d)

the traditional election advertising is publicly displayed within the restricted signage zone of any ordinary polling station or special polling station established for the conduct of a poll in that election; and

(e)

the person knows or has reason to believe that where the traditional election advertising is publicly displayed is within a restricted signage zone of such a polling station.

(2)

In this section, “restricted signage zone”, for an ordinary polling station or a special polling station, means all of the following, unless otherwise provided in subsection (3):

(a)

the building, or part of the building, in which the following are, or are to be, located:

(i)

any polling place of the polling station;

(ii)

any polling booth or other facility for electors allotted to that polling station are to vote in accordance with this Act;

(b)

the area within 50 metres of the external edges of a building or part of a building mentioned in paragraph (a);

(c)

if a building or part of a building mentioned in paragraph (a) is located in any grounds —

(i)

the area in those grounds; (ii)the area within 50 metres of any outer wall, fence or other structure or feature that marks the boundary of those grounds; and

(iii)

if the Returning Officer or a presiding officer of that polling station has designated entrances to the grounds under section 18(5) — the area within 50 metres of each designated entrance to those grounds.

(3)

However, “restricted signage zone” does not include premises in the zone mentioned in subsection (2)(b) or (c) that are —

(a)

used as a residence;

(b)

outside Singapore;

(c)

used as an office by a candidate in an election; or

(d)

other premises lawfully occupied by or under an arrangement with the Returning Officer.

(4)

In proceedings for an offence under subsection (1), it is not necessary for the prosecution to prove that an accused knew or had reason to believe that the content publicly displayed is traditional election advertising as described in subsection (1)(c).

(5)

Any person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (1) shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

(6)

Subsection (1) does not apply to or in relation to —

(a)

any official sign; and

(b)

any traditional election advertising prescribed by the election advertising regulations as excluded from subsection (1).

Amended byAct 9 of 2023 wef 01/06/2023