Section 35January 23, 2007, Sec./Art. 35

Section. 206 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 206 Counting to be Public and without Interruption. - As soon as the voting is finished, the board of election inspectors shall publicly count in the polling place the votes cast and ascertain the results. The board may rearrange the physical set up of the polling place for the counting or perform any other activity with respect to the transition from voting counting. However, it may do so only in the presence of the watchers and within close view of the public. At all times, the ballot boxes and all election documents and paraphernalia shall be within close view of the watchers and the public.

"The board of election inspectors shall not adjourn or postpone or delay the count until it has been fully completed, unless otherwise ordered by the Commission.

"The Commission, in the interest of free, orderly, and honest election, may authorize the board of election inspectors to count the votes and to accomplish the election return and other forms prescribed under the code in any other place within a public building in the same municipality or city on account of imminent danger of widespread violence or similar causes of comparable magnitude: Provided, That the transfer shall been recommended in writing by the board of election inspectors by unanimous vote and endorsed in writing by the majority of watchers present: Provided, further, that the said public building shall not located within the perimeter of or inside a military or police camp, reservation, headquarters, detachment or field office nor within the premises of a prison or detention bureau or any law enforcement or investigation agency.

"Any violation of this section, or its pertinent portion, shall constitute and election offense and shall be penalized in accordance with Batas Pambansa Blg. 881."