2. Introduction
The State Election Commission constituted
under Article 243-K of the Constitution of
India is vested with the powers of
superintendence, direction and control of
preparation of electoral roll for, and
conduct of all elections to the 3-tier
Panchayati Raj Institutions.
3. Legal Provisions
For GP:
Odisha Grama Panchayat Act, 1964, and Odisha Grama Panchayat
Election Rules, 1965
For PS:
Odisha Panchayat Samiti Act, 1959 and Odisha Panchayat Samiti
Election Rules, 1991
For ZP:
Odisha Zilla Parishad Act, 1991, and Odisha Zilla Parishad
Election Rules, 1994
Recent amendments :
Capping reservation to 50% by orders of Hon"ble High Court,
Orissa
Central counting of votes
4. APPOINTMENT OF POLLING AGENT
1. A contesting candidate is competent to
appoint one Polling Agent under the
Panchayat Election Rules.
2.The Presiding Officer shall examine the
letter of authority of the Polling Agent
issued by the candidate an countersigned
by Election Officer and admit him to the
Polling Station, if he is satisfied that the
authority is in the prescribed format and
genuine.
5. Duties of Presiding Officer
1.The presiding Officer is responsible for smooth
conduct of poll and he is answerable for every
proceeding thereof during poll. The Polling
Officers and the Police Constable/ Home Guard/
Forest Guard/ Grama Rakhi attached to the
Polling party shall work under his direction and
supervision.
2.When a presiding Officer is unable to remain
present in the polling station for reason beyond
his control, he will authorize one of the Polling
Officers to act as Presiding Officer during his
absence.
6. 1.Conduct of Polling :
i. Poll Materials- The Presiding Officer shall receive all
the materials that the Polling Party would need at a
Polling Station to conduct the polls from the Election
Officer before leaving for the Polling Station. It shall be
the responsibility of the presiding Officer to verify the
polling material during delivery.
Any consumable materials not supplied may be
purchased locally by the Presiding Officer out of the
Both Contingency given to him. It shall be the
responsibility of the Presiding Officer to verify the
polling materials during the delivery and to proceed
well in advance to the Polling station as may be
directed by the Election Officer.
7. ii. The Presiding Officer shall examine the
letter of authority of Polling Agent
authorized by a Candidate and admit him
to the Polling Station if he is satisfied that
the authority is in the prescribed format
and genuine.
8. iii. The Ballot papers to be issued to the voters must
be authenticated by him putting his seal and signature
on the front. The distinguishing mark should be
affixed on the top right hand corner of the back side of
the Ballot paper. After assigning a Sl. No. signing and
affixing the distinguishing mark on the back side of
the ballot paper containing in a bunch of 100/50 Nos.,
the Presiding Officer shall hand over the ballot paper
bunch after bunch to the 1st Polling Officer. Ballot
papers numbering approximately 60% of the total
number of voters at the Polling Station in full bunches
of 100/50 nos. should be prepared initially. Further
bunches should be taken up and prepared when the
first lot of ballot papers as above are about to be
exhausted.
9. iv. Immediately before commencement of
poll the Presiding Officer shall
demonstrate to the candidate/ polling
agents that the ballot box (s) is empty and
then prepare the box to balloting position.
10. Duties First Polling Officer:
1. Under the control and supervision of the Presiding
Officer, the 1st Polling Officer shall be in charge of
marked copy of Electoral Roll. On entering the Polling
Station, the elector will proceed direct to the 1st Polling
Officer for identification. At times, a voter may come
with an unofficial identity slip. Such slip may contain
the name, Sl. No. and House No. of the elector as in the
electoral roll. The slip should not contain the name or
symbol of any candidate. An elector must not be
compelled to bring an identity slip, if the voter does not
have any such identity slip, the 1st Polling Officer will
himself ascertain his name, father’s/ husband’s name,
House No. etc. and establish his identity with reference
to entry in the Electoral Roll. Commission’s Order
No.3032 Dt.26.10.2021 for establishing identity of an
elector should be followed strictly.
11. 2.If there is a challenge of the identity of an
elector, the 1st Polling Officer will refer the
matter to the Presiding Officer for a decision.
In case there is no challenge, the 1st polling
Officer shall hand over all the Ballot Papers
one by one in the order of Sarpanch, Ward
Member, Panchayat Samiti Member and Zilla
Parishad Member on obtaining signature/ T.I.
of the elector on the counterfoil of each ballot
paper to the 2nd Polling Officer and put tick (“)
mark against the name of the elector in the
working copy the electoral roll to indicate that
he has been allowed to vote.
12. Duties Second Polling Officer:
1. The 2nd Polling Officer will be in charge of Indelible
Ink. After receipt of Ballot Paper from the 1st Polling
Officer, the 2nd Polling Officer will check the left
forefinger of the elector with a view to see whether
there is any Indelible Ink mark, faint or otherwise
and then to put a mark with Indelible Ink on the left
forefinger and issue ballot papers one after one
(Sarpanch, Ward Member, Panchayat Samiti Member
and Zilla Parishad Member) after folding vertically
and horizontally and then restoring to the previous
position and explaining the marking procedure and
the manner of re-folding it after marking.
13. Any reference to the left forefinger of voter
shall in case where the voter has left forefinger
missing be constructed as a reference to any
other finger of his left hand and shall, in the
case where all the fingers of his left hand are
missing, be constructed as a reference to the
forefinger or as the case may be, any other
finger of his right hand and shall, in the case
where all his fingers of both hands are missing
be constructed as a reference to such extreme
of his left or right arms as he possesses.
14. 2. In order to ensure that the Indelible Ink
mark put o the voters finger has been
properly dried up and developed into a
distinct indelible ink mark, it may be
necessary that his left forefinger is again
checked up by 2nd Polling Officer before
the elector leaves the station. If the ink
mark is not distinct or found removed, the
elector’s forefinger should again be
marked with Indelible Ink.
15. Procedure for Identification of Voter & Voting
i. Each voter is required to produce any one
of the documents notified by the
Commission in their Order no.3032
dt.26.10.2021 in support of his identity.
ii.A candidate or his/ her Polling Agent can
object to the identity of a voter on the only
ground he/ she is not the person he/ she
claims to be as per entry in the voter list.
iii.For every objection a fee of Rs.2/- shall be
deposited with the Presiding Officer.
16. iv.No such objection shall be entertained
unless the above fee is deposited.
v. After deposit, the Presiding Officer shall
decide the objection summarily and his
decision shall be final.
vi. If the objection is allowed the deposit
shall be refunded to the person who
deposited the amount.
vii. If the objection is disallowed the amount
shall be forfeited and the receipt shall be
issued to the person who has made the
deposit.
17. vii. After identity of a voter has been
established, his left hand forefinger be
marked with indelible ink and be handed
over the ballot papers by the 2nd Polling
Officer one by one.
ix. In case the presiding Officer is satisfied
that a voter is physically incapacitated or
blind and is in genuine need of assistance,
he may, at the request of such voter, allow
him to be accompanied by a companion to
the voting compartment to assist him in
recording his vote.
18. Closure of Poll
i. After the closure of the poll the Presiding
Officer shall seal the ballot box (s) with
Address Tag and put the Ballot Box (s)
inside the cloth bag and seal it with
Address Tag along with his seal and
signature. The candidate or their agents
may affix their seal and signature on the
Address Tag. The presiding Officer will
personally hand over the sealed Ballot Box
(s) at receiving centre.
19. The Presiding Officer shall also prepare
separate bundles of paper, reports, unused,
surplus ballot paper in respect of Sarpanch,
Ward Member, Panchayat Samiti Member and
Zilla Parishad Member, seal each packet, note
there on the name and number of the Polling
Station to which it relates to and forward the
same to the Election officer. It will be open for
the candidates or their Polling agents to affix
their seal and signature on these packets, if
they so desire.
20. Three copies of Ballot Paper Account Forms i.e.
three copies of Form No.7 for Ward Member,
three copies of Form no.7 for Sarpanch, three
copies of Form no.12 for Panchayat Samiti
Member, three copies of Form no.11 for Zilla
Parishad Member will be supplied for each
polling booth. The presiding Officer shall put
one Form of each category in sealed cover and
keep one of each category in open cover and
hand over the same to Election officer and keep
one Form of each category with him for future
reference.
21. ii. The separate sealed packets shall be prepared as follows:
Unused Ballot Paper Surplus Ballot Paper Ballot Paper Account
Ward Member Ward Member Ward Member
Sarpanch Sarpanch Sarpanch
P.S. Member P.S. Member P.S. Member
Z.P. Member Z.P. Member Z.P. Member
22. (d) Marked Copy of Electoral Roll
(e) Other copy of Electoral Roll
(f) Special report of the Presiding Officer
regarding Conduct of Poll.
(g) Cash book and Receipt Book on
Challenge Votes.
(h) Diary of Presiding Officer
(i) Other Papers/ Records
23. iii.The Presiding Officer should record important
events mentioning time concerning polling at
the Polling Station in plain Paper and send it in
sealed cover to the Election Officer. Occasion
arisen leading to postponement or
countermanding of the poll shall also find place
in such report.
iv.The Presiding Officer shall return all non
consumable materials to the Election Officer.
24. Who are allowing to enter into the Polling Station:
The Following persons can be allowed to enter into
the polling station.
(a) Polling Staff
(b) Electors
(c) Polling Agent
(d) Candidate
(e)Companion of a blind and infirm Voter
(f) Child in arms
(g) Any Person required by the Presiding Officer
for assistance
(h) Any person authorized by the State Election
Commission/ Election Officer.
25. List of Identity Cards Produce by the Voters
at the time of Poll (Any one of the following)
1. Electors Photo Identity Card issued by the Election
Commission of India
2. Aadhaar card
3. Passport
4. Driving License
5. Service Identity Card with Photograph issued to
employees by Central/ State Govt., Public Sector
Undertaking, Local Bodies/ Public Limited Companies.
6. Pass Book with Photograph issued by bank post office.
7. Pan Card
26. 8. MGNREGA Job Card
9. Pension document with Photograph
10. Official identity cards issued by MPs, MLAs
11. Certificate of disability
12. Freedom Fighter Identity Card
13. Any other documentary evidence
establishing the identity of the voters to the
satisfaction of the Presiding Officer.
