Returning Officer, 24-Manthani Assembly Constituency & Revenue Divisional Officer, Manthani

 As soon as the list of contesting candidates has been published, you should make your arrangements for the poll.  calculate the exact number of voting machines required for taking the poll in your constituency,  immediately obtain the required number of machines if you have not already done so. Each and every machine has to be thoroughly tested for its 100% (hundred per cent) errorfree functioning at the time of poll

 Get printed immediately the required number of ballot papers which are to be used on the ballot units of the voting machines and also for supply to the polling stations for use as tendered ballot papers  You must procure urgently all other polling materials, statutory and non-statutory forms and other stationery that you will require for taking the poll

 You should maintain a forward diary of the different items of work that you have to attend to from time to time  Ensuring that formal appointment orders for the Presiding Officers and Polling Officers  Training of polling personnel as well as Police personnel on conduct of elections on EVMs;  Issuing of forms of application (Form 12 and 12A) for postal ballot papers and election duty certificates to the polling personnel

 Requisitioning of vehicles required for the poll  Finalizing the transport arrangements  Checking up the deployment of police forces and their movement to synchronize with the movement of the polling parties;

 Meetings with contesting candidates with a view to seeking their cooperation and removing their misapprehensions,  Supplying the contesting candidates with (i) lists of polling stations and the areas covered by each polling station and (ii) forms of appointment of polling and counting agents;

 Preparing required number of working copies of the relevant parts of the electoral roll for use in each polling station;  Provision of screened voting compartments at each polling station  Publicity about the location of polling stations;

 Distribution of polling materials to the polling parties;  Arrangements at reception centre  Arrangements for the safe custody of these voting machines and other election papers on completion of poll;  Arrangements for setting up the counting center(s).

 The Commission has been trying to prepare and supply to every eligible elector an Electoral Photo Identity Card.  Any minor discrepancies in the entries in the EPIC relating to its serial number, elector’s name, father’s/mother’s/husband’s name, sex, age or address shall be ignored and the elector allowed to vote so long as the identity of the elector can be established by means of that card.

 The contesting candidates, if they are tactfully approached, will also be of great help to you in maintaining law and order at and before the poll. If you can secure their cooperation, many of your other difficulties would also be easily solved.

 standing committees should be constituted in each district under the chairmanship of the head of the district administration with the Deputy District Election Officer as the Convener and the a representative of all recognized and registered political parties at the district level as its members.  such standing committees should also be formed in each constituency

 The representatives of law and order enforcement authorities should also be associated with such committee  The committee may meet as often as may be convenient and necessary. In such meetings, you should address a special appeal to the members to co-operate in the observance of the Model Code of Conduct

 The Committee may also consider, apart from the model code, any matter of common interest to the members and intended to further the object of holding free and fair election from the constituency.  proper minutes thereof should be maintained

 For evaluation of violations of expenditure incurred by the contesting candidates, the DEO should constitute the following statutory committees and R.O.Level Teams:  (i) Media Certificate and Monitoring Committee,  (ii) Expenditure monitoring control room call centre,  (iii) Expenditure Monitoring Cell comprising of Income Tax, Central Excise, Audit and Accounts Department,

 First Polling Officer responsible for identification of electors  1 copy Presiding Officer  1 copy For circulation among polling agents  Exhibition 1 copy  Polling Station Reserve 1 copy

 Brush up their knowledge and experience by more rehearsals as necessary especially on EVMs. All Presiding Officers and polling officers should be given hands-on training, if not already done earlier. Invite the candidates to such rehearsals and encourage them to secure the attendance of their prospective polling agents at these rehearsals.  police officers and police personnel deployed on election related duties should also be imparted training.

 There is no objection to a candidate printing a dummy ballot paper  But it should not contain the names and symbols of any other contesting candidates in the constituency. The dummy ballot paper may be printed in any colour such as brown, yellow or gray, but not pink and white, and should not resemble the genuine ballot paper in size or colour.

 There is also no objection to the candidates/ political parties preparing dummy ballot units for the purpose of educating the voters. The dummy ballot units may be made of wooden, plastic or ply board boxes, half the size of the official ballot units and may be painted brown, yellow or gray. These dummy ballot units may have provision for showing the serial number, name and symbol of the candidate as in the dummy ballot paper. It may also have a battery operated button and a lamp which may burn on the button being pressed.

 The political parties/candidates may issue unofficial identity slips containing the following information to the voters;  (i) The name and serial number of the voter in the electoral roll;  (ii) Part number of the electoral roll; and  (iii) The serial number and name of the polling station.  The identity slips should be on white paper and should not contain the name of the candidate and/or the name of his party and/or his election symbol. The slips should not contain any slogans or any exhortation to vote for a party or for a candidate, since these would amount to canvassing within the polling station,

 PC/AC name Polling Station number and name (location detail)………………………. Voter’s Sl.No. in Electoral Roll…………………- Part No……………….. Name:………………………………………

 Follow carefully the instructions issued by the Commission on the regulation of vehicular traffic during the election period and particularly on the day of poll with a view to cordoning off the polling areas from vehicular traffic to prevent voters from being carried in the vehicles arranged by candidates and their supporters. Permits should be issued to vehicles to be used by candidates, their election agents, etc. strictly according to the norms prescribed by the Commission.

Thanking you Sir - END-