The Election Commission on Sunday clarified that by abstaining from voting in the presidential election, the UNPA electoral college would not commit any illegality, even as it issued a set of guidelines to monitor the presidential election process.
Commenting on UNPA’s decision to abstain, EC sources said, “Not to vote is an inherent right and forcing somebody to vote is anti-democratic and against his will”. 
In its guidelines, the Election Commission has specified, a voter cannot carry his or her mobile phone inside the polling stations.
Returning officers have been instructed to videograph critical events, such as storage of ballot boxes, papers and other election material. Every voter must carry identification documents such as identity card issued by the state Assembly, Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) and original copy of “Certificate of Election”. The entire process of identifying the elector should be done with due care and diligence and not mechanically. Production of identification proof is not merely a technical formality, but a valid method of establishing identity.
Assistant returning officers who will bring the polled ballot boxes from state headquarters to New Delhi in executive class have been told that empty ballot boxes may be booked as checked-in luggage, if it is not possible to carry as “cabin luggage”, but ballot boxes after polling, “under no circumstances”, could be moved as checked-in luggage.