The Electoral Commission (EC) has set October 27 to November 17, 2008 as the period for the transfer of votes and for receiving applications for proxy voting. The Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of Operations, Mr. Sarfo Kantanka, confirmed this to the Daily Graphic yesterday. He said since the process had been decentralised, the transfer of votes and proxy applications; would be processed at all the district offices of the commission. In line with the Public Election Regulation, 1996 (C l. l 5), Sub-regulation 20 (l), the EC is required to effect transfers not less than three weeks to the date of election. Speaking on the regulations and processes for the exercise, Mr Kantanka said applicants for transfers were expected to appear in person and they must have resided in their present constituencies for not less than two months to the date of the application. He indicated that the commission would not entertain bulk or group transfers, and that no political party or organisation should seek transfers on behalf of voters. Furthermore, he said transfers to adjacent constituencies and within the same metropolis or municipality would not be permitted. Applications for bulk proxy voting, he said, could be considered for recognised bodies such as personnel of security agencies on UN missions, staff of Ghana's foreign missions and other international organisations, students on government scholarships abroad and Muslims on Hajj. He told the Daily Graphic that already the commission had met the Muslim community and explained to them that those participating in the Hajj pilgrimage would not be disenfranchised and that they could vote by proxy. He, however, indicated that before transfers would be effected, applicants would be asked some questions by EC officials to authenticate their request. Expatiating further, the Director of Elections at the EC, Mr Albert Kofi Arhin, said it was not the right time to allow for the transfer of vote, saying, "The EC is operating within the law to avoid any confusion, hence the date set for the exercise." He said it would be wrong for any political party or politician to organise, in his stronghold, groups of people for purposes of transferring votes. He reiterated the necessity for applicants to appear in person to fill the transfer forms. Source: Daily Graphic