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Teens receive police advisories for taking used ballot boxes

SINGAPORE — Two 17-year-old boys who took used, but empty, ballot boxes from a school’s storeroom — a counting centre — in August last year have been issued with advisories, the police said in a statement last night.

SINGAPORE — Two 17-year-old boys who took used, but empty, ballot boxes from a school’s storeroom — a counting centre — in August last year have been issued with advisories, the police said in a statement last night.

Without saying which elections the ballot boxes had been used for, the police added that there was no breach of integrity in the electoral process, noting that there was no evidence the boxes had been tampered with before and while they were in use.

Investigations also concluded that the used and discarded ballot boxes were supposed to be disposed of by the Elections Department’s (ELD) waste contractor after the election.

“The police, in consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), have counselled and issued two 17-year-old youths with advisories for their involvement in the incident,” it said.

At the conclusion of investigations, the police can recommend the AGC to take one of several actions against an individual, such as charging him in court or issuing a stern warning — both of which register a criminal record.

TODAY understands that it can also recommend issuing an advisory — telling an individual to abide by the law — or letting a person off without taking any action.

The incident came to light after a member of the public wrote to the ELD in August last year after finding the boxes. Based on reports circulating online then, the boxes appeared to be from two polling stations in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and had been used during the presidential elections in 2011.

The discovery prompted checks on all 164 schools used as counting centres, which found discarded ballot boxes at five other schools, Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing disclosed during a Parliament sitting a month later.

Mr Chan also said the ELD would be looking into the tightening of the handling and disposal of uncontrolled items such as ballot boxes during the electoral process.

The ELD could not be reached for comment last night.

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