Housing and Development (Polling for Upgrading Works) Rules

Housing and Development Act

(CHAPTER 129, Section 65K)

Housing and Development
(Polling for Upgrading Works)
Rules

R 7

G.N. No. S 361/1993

REVISED EDITION 2010

(31st May 2010)

[8th September 1993]

PART I

Preliminary

Citation

1.  These Rules may be cited as the Housing and Development (Polling for Upgrading Works) Rules.

Definitions

2.—(1)  In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires —

“beneficiary commercial property”, in relation to any commercial property upgrading works, means a commercial property prescribed in rule 2B to be a beneficiary commercial property in relation to those commercial property upgrading works;

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

“beneficiary flat”, in relation to any special upgrading works, means a flat prescribed in rule 2A to be a beneficiary flat in relation to those special upgrading works;

“building” includes part of a building and any part of 2 or more buildings;

“chief polling officer” means the chief polling officer appointed under rule 16(1)(a) and includes a deputy chief polling officer appointed under rule 16(2);

“commercial property upgrading poll”, in relation to a precinct, means a poll conducted under section 77(3A) of the Act with a view to establishing the opinion of owners of every beneficiary commercial property in that precinct about any proposal to carry out commercial property upgrading works within that precinct;

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

“commercial property upgrading works register” means a register (whether in paper or electronic form) prepared under rule 3(3A) in relation to certain commercial property upgrading works within a precinct;

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

“daily statement of the poll” means the statement prepared in respect of any polling day under rule 29(1)(b) or 34E(1)(a), as the case may be;

“electronic polling machine” means any mechanical, electronic or electro-optical machine that can —

(a) be activated by a voter to mark or record his vote for or against any proposal regarding general upgrading works, specified upgrading works or special upgrading works, as the case may be, on a polling display on the machine;

(b) process the vote and the value in the vote by means of a computer program;

(c) instantaneously record and store that vote and the value in that vote within a memory device within the machine; and

(d) sort and count votes and the value in the votes marked or recorded on all polling displays on that machine, and includes any computer program that is used in the operation of the machine;

“electronic polling system” means any polling system using electronic polling machines;

“flat upgrading poll” means a poll conducted under section 77 of the Act in connection with any proposal to carry out any flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct;

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

“flat upgrading works register” means a register prepared under rule 3(3) in relation to certain flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct;

“HDB flat” means a house or flat sold under the provisions of the Act;

“Lease Buyback Scheme” means a scheme administered by the Board, under which a lessee of an HDB flat who has been approved by the Board to take part in the scheme enters into an agreement with the Board to reduce the term of the lease, in consideration of a sum of money —

(a) which is paid in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme; and

(b) the whole or part of which may be used for the payment of a premium for an annuity plan under the Lifelong Income Scheme established and maintained by the Central Provident Fund Board under section 27K of the Central Provident Fund Act 1953;

[S 575/2013 wef 01/08/2013]

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

“list of proxies” means the list of proxies prepared under rule 15;

“poll”, in relation to a precinct, means either a primary poll, a secondary poll, a special poll, a flat upgrading poll or a commercial property upgrading poll conducted under section 77 of the Act in relation to that precinct or a building or buildings within that precinct;

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“polling day” means any day on which a poll is taken;

“polling display” means an on-screen electronic video display, image or representation of a polling paper;

“polling place”, in relation to a poll, means the place at which the poll is to be taken;

“primary poll”, in relation to a precinct, means a poll conducted under section 77 of the Act in relation to the precinct with a view to establishing the opinions of owners of flats within the precinct about any proposal to carry out general upgrading works within that precinct;

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

“register” means a register (whether in paper or electronic form) of owners of flats prepared under rule 3 in respect of any particular precinct;

“registered owner” means any person whose name is entered in a register, a special register, a flat upgrading works register or a commercial property upgrading works register, as the case may be;

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“scrutineer” means a scrutineer appointed under rule 16 for the purposes of a poll;

“secondary poll”, in relation to a building within a precinct, means a poll conducted under section 77 of the Act in relation to the building within the precinct with a view to establishing the opinions of the owners of residential or non-residential flats in the building about any proposal to carry out specified upgrading works in that building;

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“Singapore corporation” means —

(a) any body corporate established by any written law;

(b) any company incorporated in Singapore, one of whose members is either a citizen of Singapore or a company incorporated in Singapore one of whose members is a citizen of Singapore, and so on; or

(c) any society, co-operative society, trade union, mutual benefit organisation or other organisation formed or constituted in Singapore, one of whose members or trustees is a citizen of Singapore;

“special poll”, in relation to any building or any 2 or more buildings within a precinct, means a poll conducted under section 77(2) of the Act with a view to establishing the opinions of owners of beneficiary flats in that building or those buildings, as the case may be, about any proposal to carry out special upgrading works in that building or for those buildings;

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

“special register” means a register (whether in paper or electronic form) prepared under rule 3(2) in relation to certain upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings;

“voter” means a person who applies to vote or votes at a poll, whether or not he is a registered owner.

(2)  Any reference in these Rules to the commencement of a poll shall be a reference to the first polling day of the poll.

(3)  For the purposes of these Rules, the seniority of joint owners of any flat shall be determined by the order in which the names of the joint owners appear in the register, the special register, the flat upgrading works register or the commercial property upgrading works register, as the case may be.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(4)  For the purposes of these Rules, a person or group of persons shall be regarded as the common registered owner of more than one flat if and only if —

(a) he is the sole registered owner of each of the flats; or

(b) the group comprises persons who are the same joint registered owners of each of the flats and whose shares and interests in each of those flats are the same, whether equal or unequal.

(5)  For the avoidance of doubt, a polling display need not resemble a polling paper provided that it contains all information necessary to enable a voter to mark or record his vote for or against any proposal regarding general upgrading works, specified upgrading works, special upgrading works, flat upgrading works or commercial property upgrading works, as the case may be.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

Beneficiary flats of special upgrading works

2A.  Where any special upgrading works comprise items of works necessary or ancillary to installing any lift or lift landing or any additional lift or lift landing in a building or for 2 or more buildings, the beneficiary flats in relation to those special upgrading works shall be all flats in the building or those buildings, as the case may be, other than —

(a) flats on the ground level;

(b) flats on the same level of such lift landings as are existing in that building or those buildings before the commencement of the special poll relating to those special upgrading works; and

(c) flats which, after the completion of the special upgrading works in that building or those buildings —

(i) are at least one whole storey above or below any lift landing in the building or buildings; or

(ii) are in a part of any of the buildings to which there is no direct access from any level (except ground level) of the building or buildings where those special upgrading works are carried out.

Beneficiary commercial properties in relation to commercial property upgrading works

2B.  For the purposes of section 77(3A) of the Act, if the Board proposes to carry out commercial property upgrading works within a precinct, the beneficiary commercial properties in relation to those proposed works are —

(a) if those proposed works are to be carried out within a building specified in the Second Schedule — all commercial properties in that building; or

(b) in any other case — all commercial properties on the ground level of each building within the precinct.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

PART II

REGISTER OF OWNERS OF FLATS

Preparation of register of owners

3.—(1)  As soon as practicable after a precinct has been declared under section 76(1) of the Act, the Board shall prepare a register of owners of flats for that precinct, entering the names and addresses of all persons who —

(a) are owners of flats within that precinct or entitled to have their names entered in the register as owners of such flats; and

(b) are not disqualified under rule 5 from voting at the poll relating to that precinct.

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(2)  Where there is any proposal to carry out special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct, the Board shall prepare a special register of owners of beneficiary flats in the building or buildings, as the case may be, in relation to those works, entering the names and addresses of all persons who —

(a) are owners of beneficiary flats in the building or buildings, as the case may be, in relation to those special upgrading works or are entitled to have their names entered in the register as owners of such flats; and

(b) are not disqualified under rule 5 from voting at the special poll relating to those special upgrading works.

(3)  Where there is any proposal to carry out any flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct, the Board shall prepare a flat upgrading works register of owners of flats in the building, entering the names and addresses of all persons who are entitled to have their names entered in the register as owners of such flats and are not disqualified under rule 5 from voting at the flat upgrading poll relating to those flat upgrading works.

(3A)  If the Board proposes to carry out any commercial property upgrading works within a precinct, the Board must prepare a commercial property upgrading works register of owners of every beneficiary commercial property within the precinct in relation to those proposed works, entering the names and addresses of all persons who —

(a) are entitled under rule 4A to have their names entered in the register as owners of the beneficiary commercial property; and

(b) are not disqualified under rule 5 from voting at the commercial property upgrading poll for those proposed works.

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(4)  The register of owners for a precinct may comprise a series of subsidiary registers of owners of flats comprised in each building within the precinct.

(5)  For the purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3), the Board may combine —

(a) the special register relating to special upgrading works within a precinct with the register of owners for that precinct prepared under paragraph (1);

(b) the flat upgrading works register relating to flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct with the register of owners for that precinct prepared under paragraph (1); or

(c) the special register relating to special upgrading works within a precinct with the flat upgrading works register relating to flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in that precinct or within any building in that precinct,

provided that the combined register shall include appropriate notation to identify the persons entitled to vote in the special poll relating to the special upgrading works or the flat upgrading poll relating to the flat upgrading works, as the case may be.

(6)  Where the Board has prepared a combined register under paragraph (5), a reference in these Rules to a person’s name appearing or being registered in the special register or the flat upgrading works register shall be read to refer to the person’s name appearing or being registered (as the case may be) in the combined register with the appropriate notation to identify that the person is entitled to vote in the special poll to which the special register relates or the flat upgrading poll to which the flat upgrading works register relates, as the case may be.

Owners of flats, etc.

4.—(1)  Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), in relation to any flat within a precinct which is sold by the Board, any person who, immediately before the commencement of a primary poll relating to the precinct, is —

(a) the most recent purchaser, jointly or otherwise, of a leasehold interest in the flat; or

(b) the most recent purchaser, jointly or otherwise, under an agreement for a lease,

shall, for the purposes of these Rules, be the owner of the flat within the precinct and shall be entered in the register as such.

(2)  Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the following persons shall not be the owner or owners of any flat for the purposes of these Rules and shall not be entitled to be registered as such:

(a) any sole purchaser of a flat who is neither a citizen of Singapore nor a Singapore corporation;

(b) the joint purchasers of a flat, all of whom are neither citizens of Singapore nor Singapore corporations;

(c) any body corporate which is declared under section 57 of the Act to be entitled to purchase a flat; and

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

(d) any sole purchaser or joint purchasers of a residential flat which is the subject of an agreement entered into under the Lease Buyback Scheme.

(3)  For the avoidance of doubt, where only one of the most recent joint purchasers of a flat is either a citizen of Singapore or a Singapore corporation, all the joint purchasers shall be the owners of the flat for the purposes of these Rules and shall be entitled to be registered as such.

(4)  Where the owner of a flat is deceased and representation has been taken out at any time before the commencement of the primary poll, the personal representative of the deceased owner shall, for the purposes of these Rules, be entitled to have his name entered in the register as owner of the flat instead of the deceased owner.

(5)  Where an owner of a flat is of unsound mind or his person or estate is liable to be dealt with in any way under the law relating to mental disorders, his committee or such other person who properly has the management of his estate shall be entered in the register as the owner of the flat.

(6)  Where immediately before the commencement of the primary poll any flat within a precinct is rented out by the Board or is the subject of an agreement entered into under the Lease Buyback Scheme, the Board shall, for the purposes of these Rules, be the owner of that flat and shall be entered in the register as such.

(7)  Where immediately before the commencement of the primary poll any flat within a precinct is neither sold nor rented out by the Board, the Board shall, for the purposes of these Rules, be the owner of that flat and shall be entered in the register as such.

(8)  This rule shall apply to any special poll as if —

(a) all references in this rule to a primary poll relating to a precinct shall be read as references to a special poll relating to special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings, as the case may be, within a precinct;

(b) all references in this rule to a flat shall be read as references to a beneficiary flat in relation to those special upgrading works; and

(c) all references in this rule to the register shall be read as a reference to the special register for those special upgrading works.

(9)  This rule shall also apply to any flat upgrading poll as if —

(a) all references in this rule to a primary poll relating to a precinct shall be read as references to a flat upgrading poll relating to flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in the precinct or within any building in the precinct; and

(b) all references in this rule to the register shall be read as a reference to the flat upgrading works register for those flat upgrading works.

Owners of beneficiary commercial property

4A.—(1)  Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), any person who, immediately before the commencement of a commercial property upgrading poll for commercial property upgrading works in a precinct, is the most recent purchaser, jointly or otherwise —

(a) of a leasehold interest in any beneficiary commercial property that is within the precinct and is sold by the Board; or

(b) under an agreement for a lease in respect of the beneficiary commercial property,

is, for the purposes of these Rules, the owner of the beneficiary commercial property and is entitled to be entered in the commercial property upgrading works register as such under rule 3(3A) for those proposed works.

(2)  Despite paragraph (1), the following persons are not the owner or owners of any beneficiary commercial property within the precinct for the purposes of these Rules and are not entitled to be entered in the commercial property upgrading works register as such under rule 3(3A) for that property:

(a) if that property is purchased by one person (called in this rule the sole purchaser) and the sole purchaser is not a citizen of Singapore or a Singapore corporation — the sole purchaser;

(b) if that property is purchased by 2 or more persons (called in this rule the joint purchasers) and none of the joint purchasers is a citizen of Singapore or a Singapore corporation — the joint purchasers.

(3)  To avoid doubt, if any one of the most recent joint purchasers of a beneficiary commercial property within the precinct is a citizen of Singapore or a Singapore corporation, all the joint purchasers are, for the purposes of these Rules, the owners of that property and are entitled to be entered into the commercial property upgrading works register as such under rule 3(3A).

(4)  If the owner of a beneficiary commercial property within the precinct is deceased and representation has been taken out under a will or on the intestacy of the deceased owner before the commencement of the commercial property upgrading poll, the personal representative of the deceased owner is, for the purposes of these Rules, entitled to be entered into the commercial property upgrading register as the owner of that property under rule 3(3A) instead of the deceased owner.

(5)  If an owner (A) of a beneficiary commercial property is of unsound mind or A or A’s estate is liable to be dealt with in any way under the law relating to mental disorders, A’s committee or any other person who properly has the management of A’s estate is entitled to be entered in the commercial property upgrading works register as the owner of that property under rule 3(3A) instead of A.

(6)  If, immediately before the commencement of the commercial property upgrading poll, any beneficiary commercial property within the precinct is rented out by the Board, the Board is, for the purposes of these Rules, the owner of that property and is entitled to be entered in the commercial property upgrading works register as such under rule 3(3A).

(7)  If, immediately before the commencement of the commercial property upgrading poll, any beneficiary commercial property within the precinct is not sold or rented out by the Board, the Board is, for the purposes of these Rules, the owner of that property and is entitled to be entered in the commercial property upgrading works register as such under rule 3(3A).

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

Disqualified persons

5.  An owner of a flat or his personal representative shall be disqualified from voting at a poll if the Board has served any of the following notices on him and does not subsequently waive in writing any such notice before the commencement of the poll:

(a) a notice of the intention of the Board to have the flat vested in itself pursuant to section 50(3) or section 59(2) or (3) of the Act;

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

(b) a notice of the intention of the Board to terminate or rescind an agreement for a lease of the flat pursuant to section 50(3) or 59(4) of the Act;

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

(c) a notice of the intention of the Board to re-enter upon the flat pursuant to section 62 of the Act;

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(d) a notice of the intention of the Board to compulsorily acquire the flat pursuant to section 63 of the Act; or

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

(e) a notice of the intention of the Board to terminate the lease or an agreement for a lease of the flat.

Completion of register

6.—(1)  The Board shall, not later than the day before the commencement of a primary poll relating to a precinct, complete the register and shall certify the completed register as the register in operation for that precinct.

(2)  The Board shall, not later than the day before the commencement of a special poll in relation to any special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct, complete the special register referred to in rule 3(2) and, shall certify the completed special register as the register in operation for those special upgrading works.

(3)  The Board shall, not later than the day before the commencement of a flat upgrading poll in relation to any flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct, complete the flat upgrading works register referred to in rule 3(3), and shall certify the completed flat upgrading works register as the register in operation for those flat upgrading works.

(3A)  The Board must, not later than the date before the commencement of a commercial property upgrading poll for any commercial property upgrading works within a precinct, complete the commercial property upgrading works register mentioned in rule 3(3A), and must certify the completed commercial property upgrading works register as the register in operation for those works.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(4)  The register in operation for a precinct and the special register in operation for any special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings shall be conclusive evidence for the purpose of determining whether a person is entitled to vote at a poll relating to that precinct and at a special poll in relation to those special upgrading works, respectively.

(5)  The flat upgrading works register in operation for any flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct shall be conclusive evidence for the purpose of determining whether a person is entitled to vote at a flat upgrading poll in relation to those flat upgrading works.

(6)  The commercial property upgrading works register in operation for any commercial property upgrading works within a precinct is conclusive evidence for the purpose of determining whether a person is entitled to vote at a commercial property upgrading poll for those works.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

PART III

VOTING

Entitlement to vote

7.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of these Rules, every registered owner whose name appears in the register in operation for a precinct shall —

(a) be entitled to vote in a primary poll relating to that precinct;

(b) if he is a registered owner of a residential flat in a building within the precinct, be entitled to vote in a secondary poll relating to residential flats in that building; and

(c) if he is a registered owner of a non-residential flat in a building within the precinct, be entitled to vote in a secondary poll relating to non-residential flats in that building.

(2)  Subject to the provisions of these Rules, every registered owner whose name appears in a special register prepared in relation to any special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct shall be entitled to vote in a special poll relating to those special upgrading works.

(3)  Subject to the provisions of these Rules, every registered owner whose name appears in a flat upgrading works register prepared in relation to any flat upgrading works shall be entitled to vote in a flat upgrading poll relating to those flat upgrading works.

(3A)  Subject to the provisions of these Rules, every person who is registered under rule 3(3A) as the owner of any beneficiary commercial property within a precinct for any commercial property upgrading works is entitled to vote in a commercial property upgrading poll for those works.

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(4)  Subject to the provisions of these Rules, every registered owner whose name appears in the register in operation for a precinct shall, for the purposes of a primary poll relating to the precinct, have —

(a) in the case of a common registered owner of more than one flat within the precinct, one vote in respect of all those flats; and

(b) in any other case, a number of votes equal to the number of flats within the precinct in respect of which he has been registered as an owner.

(5)  Subject to the provisions of these Rules, every registered owner whose name appears in a subsidiary register in operation for a building within a precinct shall, for the purposes of a secondary poll relating to the building, have —

(a) in the case of a common registered owner of more than one flat within the building to which the poll relates, one vote in respect of all those flats; and

(b) in any other case, a number of votes equal to the number of flats in that building in respect of which he has been registered as an owner.

(6)  Subject to the provisions of these Rules, every registered owner whose name appears in a special register for any special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct shall, for the purposes of a special poll relating to those special upgrading works, have —

(a) in the case of a common registered owner of more than one beneficiary flat within the building or buildings, as the case may be — one vote in respect of all those flats; and

(b) in any other case — a number of votes equal to the number of beneficiary flats in the building or buildings, as the case may be, in respect of which he has been registered as an owner.

(7)  Subject to the provisions of these Rules, every registered owner whose name appears in a flat upgrading works register for any flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct shall, for the purposes of a flat upgrading poll relating to those flat upgrading works, have —

(a) in the case of a common registered owner of more than one flat within any such building — one vote in respect of all those flats; and

(b) in any other case — a number of votes equal to the number of flats in any such building in respect of which he has been registered as an owner.

(8)  Subject to the provisions of these Rules, a person who is registered under rule 3(3A) as the owner of any beneficiary commercial property within a precinct for any commercial property upgrading works has, for the purposes of a commercial property upgrading poll for those works, one vote for each beneficiary commercial property within that precinct for those works in respect of which that person is registered as the owner, jointly or otherwise.

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Value in votes

7A.—(1)  For the purposes of any primary poll relating to a precinct, the vote of every registered owner entitled to vote in that primary poll shall have a value as follows:

(a) where the Board is the registered owner — one, notwithstanding that it is the common registered owner of more than one flat within the precinct; and

(b) in any other case — a number equal to the number of leases the Board has granted to the registered owner in respect of his flat or flats within the precinct.

(2)  For the purposes of any secondary poll relating to residential flats in a building within a precinct, the vote of every registered owner entitled to vote in that secondary poll shall have a value as follows:

(a) where the Board is the registered owner — one, notwithstanding that it is the common registered owner of more than one residential flat within the building; and

(b) in any other case — a number equal to the number of leases the Board has granted to the registered owner in respect of his residential flat or flats within the building.

(3)  For the purposes of any secondary poll relating to non-residential flats in a building within a precinct, the vote of every registered owner entitled to vote in that secondary poll shall have a value as follows:

(a) where the Board is the registered owner — a number equal to the number of non-residential flats in the building in respect of which the Board has been registered as owner in the subsidiary register in operation for that building; and

(b) in any other case — a number equal to the number of leases the Board has granted to the registered owner in respect of his non-residential flat or flats within the building.

(4)  For the purposes of a special poll relating to any special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct, the vote of every registered owner entitled to vote in that special poll shall have a value as follows:

(a) where the Board is the registered owner of any beneficiary flat within the building or buildings — one, notwithstanding that it is the common registered owner of more than one beneficiary flat within that building or those buildings; and

(b) in the case of any other registered owner of a beneficiary flat within the building or buildings — a number equal to the number of leases the Board has granted to the registered owner in respect of his beneficiary flat or flats within that building or those buildings, as the case may be.

(5)  For the purposes of a flat upgrading poll relating to any flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct, the vote of every registered owner entitled to vote in that flat upgrading poll shall have a value as follows:

(a) where the Board is the registered owner — a number equal to one, notwithstanding that it is the common registered owner of more than one flat within that building; and

(b) in any other case — a number equal to the number of leases the Board has granted to the registered owner in respect of his flat or flats within the building.

(5A)  For the purposes of a commercial property upgrading poll for any commercial property upgrading works within a precinct, the vote of every registered owner entitled to vote in that commercial property upgrading poll has a value as follows:

(a) if the Board is the registered owner — a number equal to one, despite that it is the common registered owner of more than one beneficiary commercial property within that precinct;

(b) in the case of any other registered owner of a beneficiary commercial property within that precinct — a number equal to the number of leases the Board has granted to the registered owner in respect of the registered owner’s beneficiary commercial property or properties within that precinct.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(6)  In this rule, any reference to a lease granted by the Board to any registered owner shall include a reference to an agreement for a lease entered into by the Board with any registered owner.

Voting in person or by proxy, etc.

8.  Subject to the provisions of these Rules, every registered owner may vote in a poll in person or by proxy.

Joint owners

9.—(1)  Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), the vote of joint registered owners (including tenants in common) of a flat or a beneficiary commercial property (as the case may be) may be cast by any of them in person or by a proxy and any first such vote cast shall be accepted to the exclusion of the other joint owners; but if more than one registered owner are present at the poll on a polling day, the vote of the senior owner amongst them who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the other joint owners.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(2)  In the case of tenants in common all of whom are either citizens of Singapore or Singapore corporations or both and who hold unequal shares in a flat or a beneficiary commercial property (as the case may be), the vote of the tenant in common holding the largest share and living at the commencement of the poll shall be accepted to the exclusion of the other tenants in common of that flat or beneficiary commercial property.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(3)  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Rules, where any one of the joint registered owners (including tenants in common) of a flat or a beneficiary commercial property (as the case may be) is not a citizen of Singapore or a Singapore corporation, he shall not be entitled to vote in any poll and the vote of the joint registered owners of the flat or beneficiary commercial property may be cast only by any of the joint registered owners among them who is a citizen of Singapore or a Singapore corporation either in person or by proxy.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(4)  Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to the joint registered owners who are citizens of Singapore or Singapore corporations referred to in paragraph (3).

Mentally disordered persons

10.  A registered owner of a flat or a beneficiary commercial property (as the case may be) who is of unsound mind or whose person or estate is liable to be dealt with in any way under the law relating to mental disorders shall not, even though he is a citizen of Singapore, vote at a poll in person but may vote by his committee or by such other person who properly has the management of his estate, and any such committee or other person may vote by proxy.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

Voting by Board

11.  The Board may appoint in writing any one of its officers to vote on its behalf at the poll and that officer shall vote at the poll in person.

Company may appoint representative to attend poll

12.—(1)  A company which is a registered owner may, under the seal of the company or the hand of its director or any duly authorised attorney, appoint such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at a poll and a person so authorised shall, in accordance with his authority or until his authority is revoked by the company, be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the company as the company could exercise if it were an individual.

(2)  A vote cast at a poll by or on behalf of a registered owner who is a company shall have no effect unless the chief polling officer has, before the vote is cast, received from the company a notice in writing specifying the representative of that company.

Proxies

13.—(1)  Subject to this rule, any person is capable of being appointed proxy to vote for a registered owner at any poll and may vote in pursuance of the appointment.

(2)  A registered owner cannot have more than one person at a time appointed as proxy to vote for him at a poll.

(3)  A person shall not be capable of being appointed to vote, or voting, as a proxy at a poll if —

(a) he is, at the commencement of the poll, below 21 years of age;

(b) he is under any written law found or declared to be of unsound mind; or

(c) he is not a citizen of Singapore.

(4)  A proxy need not be a registered owner of a flat or a beneficiary commercial property (as the case may be) within the precinct or a registered owner of a beneficiary flat within the building in relation to which the poll is conducted.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(5)  A person appointed to vote as proxy shall vote in person.

Instrument of proxy

14.—(1)  The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing, in Form 1 or 1A (as the case may be) in the First Schedule, under the hand of the registered owner or of his attorney duly authorised in writing or, if the registered owner is a corporation (other than the Board), either under seal or under the hand of an officer or an attorney duly authorised.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(2)  A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy or attorney shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death or unsoundness of mind of the principal or revocation of the instrument or of the authority under which the instrument was executed, if no information in writing of such death, unsoundness of mind or revocation has been received by the Board before the commencement of the poll at which the instrument is used.

(3)  The instrument appointing a proxy and the power of attorney or other authority, if any, under which it is signed or a notarially certified copy of that power or authority shall be deposited —

(a) at the office of the chief polling officer;

(b) with a polling officer at the polling place; or

(c) at such other place as is specified in the notices of a poll referred to in rule 17,

before the vote is cast by the proxy at the poll, and in default, the instrument of proxy shall not be treated as valid.

List of proxies

15.  The chief polling officer shall, in respect of the poll, prepare a list of proxies consisting of all those registered owners of flats or beneficiary commercial properties (as the case may be) who have given notice under rule 12(2) or deposited an instrument of proxy pursuant to rule 14(3), and the names and addresses of all those appointed as their representatives or proxies.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

PART IV

THE POLL

Polling staff

16.—(1)  As soon as practicable after a precinct has been declared under section 76(1) of the Act, or after the Minister has approved any proposal to carry out certain special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct, the Minister shall appoint —

(a) a chief polling officer to preside over any poll relating to the precinct or a building within the precinct or (as the case may be) to those special upgrading works; and

(b) one or more scrutineers for the purposes of that poll.

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

(2)  The Minister may, in addition to the chief polling officer appointed under paragraph (1)(a), appoint one or more deputy chief polling officers to assist the chief polling officer in the performance of his duties under these Rules, and the deputy chief polling officer shall have all the powers and may perform all the duties of the chief polling officer under these Rules.

(3)  The chief polling officer shall, as soon as practicable after his appointment under paragraph (1)(a) for the purposes of any poll, appoint such polling officers and clerks as may be necessary for the purposes of that poll.

(4)  No officer of the Board who is appointed under rule 11 to vote on behalf of the Board at a poll shall be appointed as a chief polling officer, deputy chief polling officer, scrutineer, polling officer or clerk for the purposes of that same poll.

(5)  In this rule, “Minister” includes —

(a) any Second Minister for National Development; and

(b) any Minister of State for the Ministry of National Development.

[S 102/2024 wef 29/02/2024]

Primary and secondary polls

16A.—(1)  A primary poll shall be conducted in relation to a precinct together with —

(a) all secondary polls, if any, relating to buildings comprising wholly of residential flats within the precinct; and

(b) where there are buildings comprising residential and non-residential flats within the precinct, all secondary polls, if any, relating to residential flats in those buildings.

(2)  Subject to section 77(7) of the Act, a secondary poll relating to non-residential flats in a building referred to in paragraph (1)(b) shall commence not more than 14 days after the date of publication under rule 32 of the final statement of the secondary poll relating to the residential flats in the same building.

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

(3)  Subject to the Act, a flat upgrading poll in relation to any flat upgrading works may be conducted at any time after the Minister has approved the proposal to carry out those flat upgrading works.

(4)  Subject to the Act, a special poll in relation to any special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct may be conducted at any time after the Minister has approved the proposal to carry out those special upgrading works.

(5)  Subject to the Act, a commercial property upgrading poll for any commercial property upgrading works within a precinct may be conducted at any time after the Minister has approved the proposal to carry out those works.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

Notices of poll

17.—(1)  The Board shall give notice of a primary poll relating to any precinct in the following manner:

(a) by affixing, not less than 7 days before the date of commencement of the primary poll relating to the precinct, at a conspicuous place in every building within the precinct, a notice stating the polling days, the hours and the polling place of the primary poll;

(b) by serving, not less than 7 days before the last polling day of the primary poll, a notice on every registered owner whose name appears in the register in operation for the precinct —

(i) describing the proposals to carry out general upgrading works in the precinct;

(ii) specifying the polling days, the hours of the polls and the polling place as stated in the notice in sub‑paragraph (a); and

(iii) specifying the name of the person entitled to vote at the primary poll, the value of his vote or votes and the place where instruments of proxy and powers of attorney shall be deposited.

(2)  Where any secondary poll relating to residential flats comprised in any building within a precinct, or any special poll relating to any special upgrading works within a precinct, is to be conducted together with a primary poll relating to the precinct, the Board shall give notice of the secondary poll or (as the case may be) the special poll together with notice of the primary poll, and paragraph (1) shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to the giving of notice of the secondary poll or (as the case may be) the special poll.

(3)  Subject to section 77(7) of the Act and rule 16A(2), the Board shall give notice of a secondary poll relating to non-residential flats in any building within a precinct —

(a) by affixing, not less than 7 days before the date of commencement of the secondary poll relating to non‑residential flats in any building within that precinct, at a conspicuous place in such building, a notice stating the polling days, the hours and the polling place of the secondary poll; and

(b) by serving, not less than 7 days before the last polling day of the secondary poll, a notice on every registered owner whose name appears in the subsidiary register in operation for the building —

(i) describing the proposals to carry out specified upgrading works in the parts of the building which comprise non-residential flats;

(ii) specifying the polling days, the hours of the secondary poll relating to non-residential flats and the polling place as stated in the notice in sub-paragraph (a); and

(iii) specifying the name of the person entitled to vote at the secondary poll, the value of his vote or votes and the place where instruments of proxy and powers of attorney shall be deposited.

[S 325/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

(4)  The Board shall give notice of a special poll relating to any special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct in the following manner:

(a) by affixing, not less than 7 days before the date of commencement of the special poll relating to those special upgrading works, at a conspicuous place in every such building to which those works relate, a notice stating the polling days, the hours and the polling place of the special poll;

(b) by serving, not less than 7 days before the last polling day of the special poll, a notice on every registered owner whose name appears in the special register in operation for those special upgrading works —

(i) describing the proposals to carry out those special upgrading works in the building or buildings, as the case may be;

(ii) specifying the polling days, the hours of the polls and the polling place as stated in the notice in sub‑paragraph (a); and

(iii) specifying the name of the person entitled to vote at the special poll, the value of his vote or votes and the place where instruments of proxy and powers of attorney may be deposited.

(5)  The Board shall give notice of a flat upgrading poll relating to any flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct in the following manner:

(a) by affixing, not less than 7 days before the date of commencement of the flat upgrading poll relating to those flat upgrading works, at a conspicuous place in every such building to which those works relate, a notice stating the polling days, the hours and the polling place of the flat upgrading poll; and

(b) by serving, not less than 7 days before the last polling day of the flat upgrading poll, a notice on every registered owner whose name appears in the flat upgrading works register in operation for those flat upgrading works —

(i) describing the proposals to carry out those flat upgrading works in the building;

(ii) specifying the polling days, the hours of the polls and the polling place as stated in the notice in sub‑paragraph (a); and

(iii) specifying the name of the person entitled to vote at the flat upgrading poll, the value of his vote or votes and the place where instruments of proxy and powers of attorney may be deposited.

(6)  The Board must give notice of a commercial property upgrading poll relating to any commercial property upgrading works within a precinct in the following manner:

(a) by affixing, not less than 7 days before the date of commencement of the commercial property upgrading poll relating to those works, at a conspicuous place in every building within the precinct to which those works relate, a notice stating the polling days, the hours of the polls and the polling place of the commercial property upgrading poll;

(b) by serving, not less than 7 days before the last polling day of the commercial property upgrading poll, a notice on every registered owner whose name appears in the commercial property upgrading works register in operation for those works —

(i) describing the proposals to carry out those commercial property upgrading works in the commercial property or properties;

(ii) specifying the polling days, the hours of the polls and the polling place as stated in the notice in sub‑paragraph (a); and

(iii) specifying the name of the person entitled to vote at the commercial property upgrading poll, the value of the person’s vote or votes and the place where instruments of proxy and powers of attorney may be deposited.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

Postponement of commencement of poll, etc.

17A.—(1)  If the Board, having given notice of a primary poll relating to any precinct in accordance with rule 17(1), decides to postpone the date of commencement or to change the polling place of the primary poll, the Board shall give notice of the postponement or change by affixing, not less than 2 days before the original date of commencement of the primary poll relating to the precinct, at a conspicuous place in every building within the precinct, a notice stating the changes in the polling days and hours or the polling place (as the case may be) of the primary poll.

(2)  Where the Board has given, in accordance with rule 17(2), notice of a secondary poll relating to residential flats comprised in a building within a precinct or notice of a special poll relating to any special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct, and —

(a) the Board decides to postpone the date of commencement or to change the polling place of the primary poll (referred to in this paragraph as the postponed primary poll) together with which the secondary poll or the special poll (as the case may be) was to be conducted; and

(b) the secondary poll or the special poll (as the case may be) is to be conducted with the postponed primary poll,

paragraph (1) shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to the giving of notice of the postponement of the date of commencement or the change in the polling place of the secondary poll or the special poll (as the case may be).

(3)  If the Board, having given notice of a secondary poll relating to non-residential flats in any building within a precinct in accordance with rule 17(3), decides to postpone the date of commencement or to change the polling place of the secondary poll, the Board shall give notice of the postponement or change by affixing, not less than 2 days before the original date of commencement of the secondary poll relating to non-residential flats in any building within that precinct, at a conspicuous place in each such building, a notice stating the changes in the polling days and hours or the polling place (as the case may be) of the secondary poll.

(4)  If the Board, having given notice of a special poll relating to any special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct in accordance with rule 17(4), decides to postpone the date of commencement or to change the polling place of the special poll, the Board shall give notice of the postponement or change by affixing, not less than 2 days before the original date of commencement of the special poll relating to those special upgrading works, at a conspicuous place in every such building to which those works relate, a notice stating the changes in the polling days and hours or the polling place (as the case may be) of the special poll.

(5)  If the Board, having given in accordance with rule 17(5) notice of a flat upgrading poll relating to any flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct, decides to postpone the date of commencement or to change the polling place of the flat upgrading poll, the Board shall give notice of the postponement or change by affixing, not less than 2 days before the original date of commencement of the flat upgrading poll relating to those flat upgrading works, at a conspicuous place in every such building to which those works relate, a notice stating the changes in the polling days and hours or the polling place (as the case may be) of the flat upgrading poll.

(6)  If the Board, having given in accordance with rule 17(6) notice of a commercial property upgrading poll relating to any commercial property upgrading works within a precinct, decides to postpone the date of commencement or to change the polling place of the commercial property upgrading poll, the Board must give notice of the postponement or change by affixing, not less than 2 days before the original date of commencement of the commercial property upgrading poll relating to those works, at a conspicuous place in every building within the precinct to which those works relate, a notice stating the changes in the polling days and hours of the polls or the polling place (as the case may be) of the commercial property upgrading poll.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

Days and hours of poll

18.—(1)  The total period during which a poll may be taken shall not exceed 10 consecutive days.

(2)  Unless the Board otherwise specifies in the notices of the poll under rule 17, the poll shall —

(a) on the first polling day thereof, open at 8 p.m. and adjourn that same day at 10 p.m. till the next polling day;

(b) on each subsequent polling day (except the last polling day), open at 9 a.m. and adjourn that same day at 9 p.m. till the next polling day; and

(c) on the last polling day, open at 9 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. of that day.

Polling papers

19.  The votes at a poll shall be given by polling papers and the vote of each voter —

(a) in respect of any proposal regarding general upgrading works, shall consist of a polling paper in Form 2 in the First Schedule;

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(b) in respect of any proposal regarding specified upgrading works, shall consist of a polling paper in Form 3 in the First Schedule;

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(c) in respect of any proposal regarding special upgrading works, shall consist of a polling paper in Form 3A in the First Schedule;

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(d) in respect of any proposal regarding flat upgrading works, shall consist of a polling paper in Form 3B in the First Schedule; and

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(e) in respect of any proposal regarding commercial property upgrading works, must consist of a polling paper in Form 3C in the First Schedule.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

Poll boxes

20.  Every poll box shall be so constructed such that the polling papers can be introduced therein but cannot be withdrawn therefrom unless the box is unlocked.

Procedure on commencement of poll

21.  Immediately before the opening of the poll on the first polling day of the poll, the chief polling officer shall —

(a) show to one or more scrutineers and such other persons (if any) as may be present at the polling place that each poll box to be used at the poll is empty;

(b) then lock it up and place his seal upon it in such a manner as to prevent it from being opened without breaking the seal; and

(c) place the poll box in his view for the receipt of polling papers and keep it so locked and sealed.

Manner of voting

22.—(1)  Every voter entitled to vote at a poll or an adjourned poll relating to a precinct or a building within a precinct, or to flat upgrading works within flats comprised in a building in a precinct or within any building in a precinct, special upgrading works in a building or for 2 or more buildings within a precinct or commercial property upgrading works within a precinct, as the case may be, shall be given a number of polling papers equal to the number of votes he is entitled to under rule 7.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(2)  No polling paper shall be given to a voter at a poll or adjourned poll relating to any general upgrading works and specified upgrading works, or to any special upgrading works, flat upgrading works or commercial property upgrading works, unless he has produced his identity card or such other evidence of his identity and citizenship to a polling officer and his name appears in the register or for that precinct, or in the special register prepared in relation to those special upgrading works, the flat upgrading works register prepared in relation to those flat upgrading works or the commercial property upgrading works register prepared in relation to those commercial property upgrading works, as the case may be, or in the list of proxies, and a polling officer may refuse to give him a polling paper if he fails to furnish such evidence of his identity and citizenship or the polling officer decides that there is a reasonable doubt as to whether the voter is the registered owner or representative or proxy he represents himself to be.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(3)  Immediately before any polling paper is given to the voter, a mark shall be placed in the register, or the special register, the flat upgrading works register or the commercial property upgrading works register, as the case may be against the name of the voter in the register to denote that he has received a polling paper, and in the case of a person applying for a polling paper as a representative of a company or as proxy, a mark shall also be placed against his name in the list of proxies.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(4)  The voter, on receiving the polling paper, shall forthwith proceed to such place reserved for the marking of polling papers and mark in the space on the polling paper provided for the purpose of indicating whether the voter is in favour or against any proposal relating to general upgrading works, specified upgrading works, special upgrading works, flat upgrading works or commercial property upgrading works, as the case may be.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(5)  The voter will then fold the polling paper, put it into the appropriate poll box and leave the polling place.

(6)  Any polling officer may, on the application of any voter, explain to the voter the proposals regarding general upgrading works, specified upgrading works, special upgrading works, flat upgrading works or commercial property upgrading works, if any, or the method of voting; but in so doing, the polling officer shall abstain from any action which might be construed by the voter as a direction to vote in favour or against any such proposals.

[S 325/2025 wef 29/05/2025]

(7)  Any polling officer may, on the application of a voter at the polling place who is incapacitated by blindness or other physical cause from voting in the manner prescribed in these Rules, mark the polling papers of the voter in the manner directed by the voter, and shall forthwith cause the polling papers to be placed in the appropriate poll box.

Spoilt polling papers

23.  A voter who has inadvertently dealt with his polling paper in such a manner that it cannot be conveniently used as a polling paper may, on delivering it to any polling officer, and proving the fact of the inadvertence to the satisfaction of the polling officer, obtain another polling paper in place of the polling paper so delivered up (referred to in these Rules as a spoilt polling paper), and the spoilt polling paper shall be immediately cancelled by the polling officer.

Voting after adjournment or closing of poll

24.  No polling paper shall be given to a voter after the hour fixed for the adjournment or closing of the poll, except that if at that hour there is in the polling place any voter to whom a polling paper has been given, the voter shall be allowed to record his vote.

Procedure on adjournment or closing of poll

25.  As soon as practicable after the poll is adjourned on each polling day or closed on the last polling day, the chief polling officer shall, in the presence of one or more scrutineers —

(a) secure the poll boxes unopened in such a manner so as to prevent the introduction of any polling paper thereafter;

(b) determine the number of polling papers cast on that day and the number of spoilt polling papers; and

(c) make up into separate packets, sealed with his own seal and the seals of the scrutineers —

(i) the spoilt polling papers;

(ii) the unused polling papers; and

(iii) the marked copies of the register and the list of proxies.

Safe custody of unused polling papers, etc., on adjournment

26.—(1)  The sealed packets containing the unused polling papers and the marked copies of the register or registers (including any special register) and the list of proxies shall be placed in a container which shall then be sealed with the seals of the chief polling officer and one or more scrutineers in such a manner that nothing can be inserted or removed from the container without breaking the seals.

(2)  The chief polling officer shall take proper precautions for the security of every container in paragraph (1) and the contents therein.

Safe custody of polling papers, etc., on completion of poll

26A.—(1)  After the final statement of the poll has been compiled in accordance with these Rules, the chief polling officer shall seal up all the polling papers and all other documents relating to that poll as required by these Rules in containers and shall, subject to this rule, retain the polling papers and documents unless the Minister otherwise directs their destruction.

(2)  Except as provided in paragraph (3), no person shall be allowed to inspect, copy or produce any polling paper or other document so sealed except for the purpose of instituting or maintaining a prosecution or any proceedings in connection with the poll.

(3)  The chief polling officer for a secondary poll relating to non-residential flats in a building may, for the purposes of conducting that secondary poll, in the presence of one or more scrutineers break the seals of the containers referred to in paragraph (1) and remove only the subsidiary register containing the names of registered owners of flats in that building.

(4)  In this rule, “Minister” includes —

(a) any Second Minister for National Development; and

(b) any Minister of State for the Ministry of National Development.

[S 102/2024 wef 29/02/2024]