GE2020 ballot papers, other election documents destroyed
Ballot boxes being incinerated at the Tuas South Incineration Plant on Jan 16, 2021. (Photo: Ministry of Communications and Information)
SINGAPORE: Ballot papers and other election documents used in the 2020 General Election were destroyed on Saturday (Jan 16) as part of the process to ensure the secrecy of the vote.
The documents were transported to Tuas South Incineration Plant from the Supreme Court vault, where they had been kept for the past six months.
Representatives from the political parties also checked the seals on the ballot boxes to ensure that they are not broken.
Among those present were Members of Parliament Yeo Wan Ling and Derrick Goh from the People's Action Party, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh and Nicole Seah from The Workers' Party, as well as Dr Paul Tambyah of the Singapore Democratic Party.
Before the documents were incinerated, a box was opened to retrieve a copy of the register of voters for polling district PN23 of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC that had been accidentally sealed in a box containing ballot papers.
The Elections Department announced previously that the box will be opened at the Supreme Court to retrieve the register for the purpose of preparing the list of electors in PN23 who did not vote at the election.
The destruction of these documents is stipulated by the law and "to ensure the secrecy of the vote", said the Elections Department earlier in January.
Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, sealed ballot boxes must be kept in safe custody for six months after the poll and can only be opened during this period "for the purpose of instituting or maintaining a prosecution or an application to invalidate an election".
