Secretary State Election Commission Rakesh Singh has informed that if the number of employees of state government in the district is not sufficient to form polling parties, then as an exception, the employees/officers of the central government, banks, Life Insurance Corporation of India can be included in the polling parties. In case of shortage of government employees, contract workers who have completed more than 3 years of service in the polling parties should also be included.
Contractual workers must not be appointed to post no. 1 of Presiding Officer and Polling Officer, because in the absence of Presiding Officer, Polling Officer No. 1 only can fulfill the duties of the presiding officer. Contract workers can be included in the polling party on the post of polling officer number 2, 3 and 4. If it become necessary to appoint a female employee due to shortage of male staff, then at least 2 female employees should be included in the polling party.
Women polling officer should be given duty in the same development block in which she is working. Exempting such woman polling officer from being present in the polling station from the eve of the poll, she should be allowed to be present at the polling station one hour before the commencement of the poll.
Field level officers/employees engaged in essential services like public health, water supply, transport, milk supply, commercial tax, excise registration and stamp and electricity supply should not be included in the polling parties. Employees of these departments who work in the office can be given duty in the election.
All officers/staff of judicial service have been exempted from election duty. Therefore, they should not be given any duty in the election.
No officer/employee posted in any development block should be appointed as presiding officer or polling officer at any polling station in the same development block. No officer/employee who is a native of any development block should be appointed as presiding officer or polling officer in any polling station falling under it.
Shri Singh has directed the District Election Officers that employees whose retirement period is due in 6 months or less, should not be included in the polling party. Other election related work can be given to such employees. Disabled/physically challenged employees should not be included in the polling party. Other election related work can be given to such employees.
After the election, the work of counting of votes for the post of Panch/Sarpanch will be done 'except in exceptional cases' at each polling station itself. This work will be done by the polling officers under the supervision and direction of the Presiding Officer. The selection of the Presiding Officer should be done carefully keeping in view the seniority and experience so that he can discharge the important and sensitive work at the time of polling and counting boldly, with confidence and efficiency. If there is a shortage of polling teams in the districts, the collector of the district can inform the Commission by requesting the divisional commissioner to provide polling teams from the neighbouring districts.