Polling Procedure

A Presentation by,
Chirabrata Debnath, DLMT,Gomati.
 Content
 Responsibilities On Appointment as
Polling Personnel.

 Responsibilities before “Pre Poll Day”.

 Responsibilities on “Pre Poll Day”.

 Responsibilities on “Poll Day”.

 Responsibilities after “Completion of Poll”.

Responsibilities On Appointment as Polling Personnel

 To take initiative to obtain the ID Card .

 To collect & submit the Forms related to

Postal Ballot (Form 12) or EDC (Form 12A).

 To attend all the training Programme

attentively and go through the Presiding
Officers Hand Book , Manual of EVM & VVPAT
& Important Instructions from R.O.

 To contact & build rapport with all the team

members.
 Responsibilities before Pre Poll Day

 To check all the materials along with all the team

members as per the Checklist.
 Responsibilities on Pre Poll Day

 To reach to the dispersal centre in time.

 To Look after the assigned Polling Station.
 To Contact with the assigned Security Personnel.
 To Contact with the assigned Vehicle.
 To collect & check all the materials.
 To check the ID Number of CU,BU,VVPAT and write in the
diary for future reference.
 To connect the CU & BU (Do not Open and connect the VVPAT
before Mock Poll on Poll Day) and check the Battery Status
(100%) and also the Buttons of BU whether Functional or not.
 To check the quantity & ID No. of Paper Seals & Special Tags.
 To contact with the Sector Officer & Micro Observer.
 To move to the Polling Station with Security Personnel.
 To inform the Sector Officer after reaching to the Polling
Station and also update in PDMS.
 Responsibilities on Pre Poll Day

 To contact with the concerned BLO and check the facilities

available in the Polling Station.
 To Look after the 200meters area surrounding to the Polling
Station.
 To set the sitting arrangements of the Polling Personnel
including the Micro Observer and Polling Agents in the
Polling station.
 To set the voting compartment table in a undisclosed place
(ensure secrecy of voting) .
 To ensure whether the CC TV is properly installed or not.
 To identify and display the Entrance and Exit Paths of the
electors (Male/ Female/PwD).
 To paste the display materials in the appropriate places.
(Details of Polling Area, List of Contesting Candidates,
Sample of BU, Voter Facilitation Posters, Message to be
displayed mentioning – You Are Under Web Camera / CCTV
Surveillance etc.)
 To complete few paper works for the Poll Day.
Enforcement of Election Law In & Around the
Polling Station
Sitting Arrangements of Polling Agents in
Polling Station
 Responsibilities on Poll Day
 To check the Appointment letter of the Polling Agent,
assign them seats and issue entry passes .
 Mock Poll
 To Initiate Mock Poll 90minutes before the Actual Poll.
 Wait 15 minutes to initiate Mock Poll , in case, if only one
Polling Agent is present.
 Set up the EVM for Mock Poll .
* No high wattage Bulbs/Tube Lights should be
placed directly over or in front of the VVPAT.
* VVPAT should be placed in the left side of BU.
 Take 50 Votes during Mock Poll, give atleast one vote to each
candidate including NOTA .
 After Mock Poll check the Result in CU .
 Collect all the Paper Slip from VVPAT Drop Box and count and
tally with Result of CU .
 Prepare the Certificate of Mock Poll (Take Signature of Micro
Observer, Polling Agents).
 Seal the VVPAT Mock Poll Slip in the Black Envelope.
 Write “VVPAT Paper slips of Mock Poll” and take signature of
Polling Agents on the Envelope.
 Ensure to CLEAR the Mock Poll result from the CU.
 Commencement of the Poll
 Set up the EVM finally and Seal it Properly.
 Ensure that the Polling Agents affix their Signature on the Green
Paper Seal fixed on the CU .
 Commence the Actual Poll after reading out the declaration form
and get it sign by the polling Agents.
 Keep Updating all the details in PDMS .
 Ensure separate queue for Male, Female, PwD electors.
 1st Polling Officer shall Identify the Voter and tell loudly the Sl.
No. of the Voter mentioned in the Marked Copy and the Type of
ID card produced by the Voter and last 4 digit of the card.

 2nd Polling Officer shall write the Sl. Nos. as mentioned by the 1st
Polling Officer in the voter slip and maintain the 17A register
and issue the Slip to the elector.

 In 17A don’t take thumb Impression of all the voters only, take
the signature of the elector as many as possible.

 3rd Polling Office will collect the Voter Slip (issued by the 2nd
Polling Officer)from the Voter and issue the Ballot and also mark
the Index Finger of the voter with Indelible Ink.
 Responsibilities on Poll Day
 Note 2 hourly Report in Presiding Officers Diary (Every
Two Hours Voters Turnout) – Click the Total button in the
CU in presence of all Polling Agent and tally it with the
17A.

 Update 2 hourly Report in PDMS (Cumulative Turnout of

Voters).

 Check the BU & VVPAT at regular intervals in presence of

Polling Agents to ensure that the voters have not
tampered with it in any manner .

 Close the Poll at the appointed hour even if it has started

late, Issue Slips with Sl. No. and the signature of P.O. and
start distribution from the last persons who are in queue
at this hour. Ensure that no additional person joins the
queue after the appointed hour.
 Responsibilities after “Completion of Poll”
 After completion of Vote click the CLOSE button of the CU
and check the Total Vote Casted and then Switch Off CU,
BU,VVPAT and disconnect the cable.
 Remove the Battery from the VVPAT.
 Read out the Declaration Form at the End of the Poll and
get it sign by all the Polling Agents.
 Make multiple copies and provide filled up Form 17C (Part-
1) to all the Polling agents and take received signature (Two
copies of Form 17C to be submitted at collection centre).
 Seal the CU, BU & VVPAT. Allow the Polling Agents to mark
the Seal also.
 Read out the Declaration Form after the Sealing of the
Voting Machines and get it sign by all the Polling Agents.
 Complete all the Paper works & Seal all in desired envelops.
Allow the Polling Agents to mark the Seal also.
 Return to the Collection centre and submit the sealed
CU,BU,VVPAT & Envelops accordingly.
 Replacement of EVM
 Regarding EVM Malfunction :- (Check the connection properly, if the connection
found OK but still non functional, then inform Sector Officer Immediately and do
the followings)

 During Mock Poll :-

If CU Found Non Functional – Replace It only
If BU Found Non Functional – Replace It only
If VVPAT Found Non Functional – Replace It only

 During Actual Poll :-

If CU Found Non Functional – Replace whole set of EVM
If BU Found Non Functional – Replace whole set of EVM
* In Both Cases Mock Poll shall be conducted by casting only one vote to
each candidate including NOTA.
* In that case write “VVPAT paper slips pertaining to Mock Poll conduced in
event of the replacement of the whole EVM & VVPAT Set” on the envelope
containing VVPAT Paper Slips.

If VVPAT Found Non Functional – Replace It only (No Mock Poll Required)

 In Case of replacement of EVM read out the Declaration Form and get it sign by
all the Polling Agents.
 Responsibilities on Poll Day
Few special case / Incidence may occur during actual Poll :-

 Refusal to obey the voting procedure

 Voting by Blind and Physically Infirm Voters
 Electors deciding Not to Vote
 Voting by Public Servants on Election Duty (In case
posted in Same LSC use EDC, In Case Posted in
different LSC use PB)
 Voting by Proxy
 Tender Vote
 Challenged Vote
 A Person whom you consider much below the
qualifying age
 Test Vote
 Any chaos /miking Inside/Outside the Premise of
Polling Station
 Responsibilities on Poll Day

Refusal to obey the voting procedure

Presiding Officer Shall Strictly Obey

the Voting Procedure in the Polling
Station.

If any elector refuses to obey the

procedure, such elector shall not be
allowed to vote (Rule 49M).

In Register of Voters (Form- 17A)

mention in Remarks column against
such elector -“Not Allowed to Vote-
Voting procedure violated” .
 Responsibilities on Poll Day
Voting by Blind and Physically Infirm Voters
 A Companion not less than 18years,carrying a valid ID Card must be
permitted.

 No person shall be permitted to act as a companion of more than one

elector.

 Indelible Ink shall be applied to the right hand Index finger of the
authorised companion.

 The companion shall also declare in writing that,he has not already
acted as the companion of any other elector at any other polling
station on that day (Annexure- 18).

 P.O. must maintain the Form14A for such companion. Cases where an
authorised companion merely led up to the voting compartment (but
did not enter) shall not be included in Form 14A.

 Under No circumstances member of polling staff, act as a Companion.

Responsibilities on Poll Day
 Responsibilities on Poll Day
Electors deciding Not to Vote

 After completing all formalities electors decided

not to vote.
 P.O. shall not force the elector to cast his vote.
 P.O. must maintain the Form17A mentioning
“Refused to Vote” in Remarks Column and must
put Full Signature below the Remarks and also
take the signature /Thumb impression of the
elector.
 If the Ballot Button in the control Unit has
been pressed, should direct the nest voter to
proceed.
 If the Ballot Button in the control Unit has
been pressed, and such elector is the last voter,
OFF the Power Switch of Control Unit, disconnect
the VVPAT, Swicth ON the Power Switch of
Control Unit, Busy lamp will go OFF and the
Close button will become Functional to close the
Poll.
 Responsibilities on Poll Day
Tendered Vote
Vote is already cast as per the ticking in the
marked voter list by P.O.1.

If P.O. is satisfied about the identity of such

elector, must allow
him/her to vote through a Tender Ballot.
P.O. must not allow him/
her to vote through EVM-VVPAT.

P.O. must write down in his/her own hand

the words “Tender
Ballot Paper” on the back of the ballot before
handing to the elector.

P.O. must maintain the Form 17B to record

such electors.

P.O. must not make any entry in Register of

Voters (Form-17A)
 Responsibilities on Poll Day

Test Vote
The paper slip generated by VVPAT has shown the name or symbol of a
candidate other than the one the eloctor voted .

P.O. shall make a second entry in Register of Voters (Form-17A) of that

elector

P.O shall permit that elector to record a Test vote in the Voting
Machine in presence of Candidate or the Polling Agents who may
be present.

If the allegation found true, stop further recording of votes in

that voting machine.

If the allegation found to be false, the P.O. shall make a remark of
such incident in Form 17A & Form 17C.
 Responsibilities on Poll Day
Absentee, Shifted & Dead Voters

 Polling Station wise ASD voters list will be provided.

 On the day of Poll, any person appears to cast the

vote, who is in such list, may be allowed to vote, if
found bona fide after proper verification.

 Thumb impression along with Signature of such

electors may be obtained against the specific
column of the Form 17A (Register of Voters).

 A declaration shall also me obtained from the ASD

elector in the format at Annexure -14.
Responsibilities on Poll Day
Responsibilities on Poll Day
Responsibilities on Poll Day
Responsibilities on Poll Day
Responsibilities on Poll Day
Responsibilities on Poll Day
Responsibilities on Poll Day
Responsibilities on Poll Day
Responsibilities on Poll Day
Responsibilities on Poll Day
Responsibilities on Poll Day
 Responsibilities on Poll Day

 Polling Agent may take break for some moment, some

reliever may take place during the break period , during last
hour of the Poll no one can be replaced.
 Responsibilities on Poll Day

 Frequently check whether the CC

Camera is set properly or not from the
beginning . During leaving the Polling
station the Presiding Officer must take
the CC Camera and submit it alongwith
EVM.
 The camera should be placed in such a
manner that, it captures-
* Voters in Queue
* Process of Identification of Voters by
Polling Officer-1
* Application of Indelible Ink on Finger
Initialization of CU by P.O.
* Voters visit to BU for Casting Vote
* Camera should not cover the face of BU
so that Voter Secrecy is preserved.
 “Anyone who stops learning is old,
whether at twenty or eighty.
Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”
- Henry Ford

Thank You