144-I. Corrupt practices.- The following shall be deemed to be corrupt practices for the purposes of this Chapter:- (1) "Bribery", that is to say,- (A) any gift offer or promise by a candidate or his agent of by any other person with the consent of a candidate or his election agent of any gratification, to any person whomsoever, with the object, directly or indirectly of including-
(a) a person to stand or not to stand as, or to withdraw or not to withdraw from being a candidate at an election; or
(b) an elector to vote or refrain from voting at an election, or as a reward to-
(i) a person for having so stood or not stood, or for having withdrawn or not having withdrawn his candidature; or
(ii) an elector for having voted or refrained from voting;
(B) the receipt of, or agreement to receive, any gratification, whether as a motive or reward--
(a) by a person for standing or not standing as, or for withdrawing or not withdrawing from being, a candidate; or
(b) by any person whomsoever for himself or any other person for voting or refraining from voting, or inducing or attempting to induce any elector to vote or refrain from voting, or any candidate to withdraw or not to withdraw his candidature. Explanation.-For the purposes of this clause, the term "gratification" is not restricted to pecuniary gratifications or gratifications estimable in money and it includes all forms of entertainment and all forms of employment for reward, but it does not include the payment of any expenses bona fide incurred at, or for the purpose of, any election and duly entered in the account of election expenses referred to in section 144-F.
(2) Undue influence, that is to say, any direct or indirect interference or attempt to interfere on the part of the candidate or his agent, with the free exercise of any electoral right:
Provided that--
(a) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of this clause, any such person as is referred to therein who-- (i) threatens any candidate or any elector, or an elector to believe that he, or any person in whom he is interested with injury of any kind including social obstracism and excommunication or expulsion from any case or community, or
(ii) induces or attempts to induce a candidate or an elector to believe that he, or any person in whom he is interested, will become or will be rendered an object of divine displeasure or spiritual censure,
shall be deemed to interfere with the free exercise of the electoral right of such candidate or elector within the meaning of this clause;
(b) a declaration of public policy, or a promise of public action, or the mere exercise of a legal right without intent to interfere with an electoral right, shall not be deemed to be interference within the meaning of this clause.
(3) The hiring or procuring, whether on payment or otherwise, of any vehicle or vessel by a candidate or his agent or by any other person with the consent of a candidate or his election agent, or the use of such vehicle or vessel for the free conveyance of any elector (other than the candidate himself, the members of his family or his agent) to or from any polling station:
Provided that, the hiring of a vehicle or vessel by an elector or by several electors at their electors at their joint costs for the purpose of conveying him or them to and from any polling station shall not be deemed to be a corrupt practice under this clause:
Provided further that, the use of any public transport vehicle or vessel or railway carriage by any elector at his own cost for the purpose of going to or coming from any polling station shall not be deemed to be a corrupt practice.
Explanation.-In the clause and in the next succeeding clause, the expression "vehicle" means any vehicle used or capable of being used for the purpose of road transport, whether propelled by mechanical power or otherwise and whether used for drawing after vehicles or otherwise.
(4) The use of vehicles belonging to a specified society for the purposes of any election.
(5) The incurring or authorizing of expenditure in contravention of section 144-F.
(6) Making special advances of loans or otherwise favouring any elector or group of electors between the date of declaration of programme for an election and date of declaration of the result thereof.
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