Policy of PB & EDC

FINAL POLICY FOR ELECTION DUTY CERTIFICATE(EDC) AND POSTAL BALLOT(PB)

BASIC POLICY: Attempts to be made through software for the deployment of polling personnel to the maximum extent for polling duty within the P.C. area, where they are voter, for the maximum utilization of EDC facility. However, no polling staff will be deployed in election duty in any of the assembly segments where he is a voter or working or his native place . Postal Ballot shall only be issued to those polling personnel, who will not be deployed for polling duty within their enrolled P.C. and to those Police personnel who will be engaged only on poll day and to all Drivers/Helpers/Cleaners of requisitioned vehicle for the purpose of election, on poll day. Form-12(for Postal Ballot)/12A(for Election Duty Certificate) are to be issued with 1st appointment letter to all category of polling personnel, as the case may be.

Training Policy:

a) First day of training (including hands on training on EVM)…. For all category of polling personnel. b) Second day of training…. For all category of polling personnel Training shall be organized at Sub-division level (except kolkata) c) Polling personnel are to be advised to bring properly filled up Form-12/12A on first day of training at training venue. d) Second day of training shall be organized just after 2nd randomization of polling personnel to inform the polling personnel, their Assembly segment No. , Party No & DC-RC venue. on 2nd day of training. e) First & second training shall also be organized for same polling personnel at the same sub-division for smooth distribution of EDC & PB. f) First and second day of training schedule may be mentioned in first appointment letter of polling personnel. Polling personnel are to be advised to give his enrollment particulars ( AC No., Part No. & Sl.No.) in their Form-12/12A. They are also to be requested to write their PIN No. in Form-12/12A as written in their appointment letter. At the training venue, photo electoral roll counters, preferably with computerized search engine, should be opened to help polling personnel find out sl. no./part no. etc. SMS system 94336-33333 may also be used. This apart, for polling personnel whose EPIC number is recorded in Polling Personnel database, there is provision in the Software itself to ascertain electoral roll particulars from EPIC number. Form-12/12A along with 1st copy of appointment letter are to be collected at training venue on first day of training. Adequate counters are to be arranged at training venue for the collection of the same (Form-12&12A). Collected 12&12A with appointment letters are to be sorted enrollment A.C. wise, i,e., AC in which the personnel is enrolled as elector. Enrollment AC wise sorted Form-12&12A are to be sent to concerned RO/ARO or Officer –in- Charge of EDC-PB cell for the preparation of marked copy of electoral roll as well as preparation of EDC&PB through sub-division wise separate register having Sub-div name, AC No, Name of applicant, part no, sl.no & PIN No. In case of Kolkata it should be sent PC wise. 10. Polling personnel resides in outside of the district, applied for PB in Form-12, their applications are to be sent to concerned DEO by special messenger for preparation of marked copy of electoral roll & PB. Such PBs are to be sent to concerned applicant by registered post through postal department.

1, PROCESS FOR PREPARATION & DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTION DUTY CERTIFICATE: A. FOR POLLING PERSONNEL: EDC issuing ARO or Officer –in- Charge of EDC cell is to be advised to prepare EDC and marked copy of Electoral Roll, on the basis of A.C. wise supplied Form-12A of polling personnel, applicable for EDC. PIN No. of polling personnel should be written on the cover containing EDC of respective polling personnel. Prepared EDCs along with register are to be sent back to the concerned RO/ARO from where the application was received. Similarly prepared EDC is to be collected from other sub-division as it was sent to them for preparation of marked copy of electoral roll & EDC. Officer-in –charge of Polling Personnel Cell will generate, Venue wise , Date-wise & enrollment AC wise list of Polling Personnel as per training schedule of 2nd day of training with PIN NO. arranged in ascending order. He will hand over this list to the Officer in-charge of EDC-PB Cell. Officer –in- Charge of EDC-PB cell on receipt of EDC from other Sub-divisions as well EDC prepared in his own Sub division will arrange to segregate all EDCs , date wise, venue wise & enrollment AC wise as per training schedule of 2nd Day of training. Second day of training shall be organized just after 2nd randomization of polling personnel as per schedule to inform the polling personnel their Assembly segment No. & Party No on second day of training.. Bunch of respective EDCs of respective applicant are to be sent to training venue, on second day of training, for distribution through earmarked counters. At the time of distribution of EDC to polling personnel signature should be obtained& the name of the polling personnel issued with EDC should be entered in EDC issued register. Once Form-12 A application is submitted, the official concerned can only vote using the EDC. For Reserve polling personnel, the RO shall decide the polling station in which they are to cast vote using EDC. The polling station should be the one located near the place where the Reserve personnel are to be assembled. If reserve polling personnel in a place is large, different polling stations near the location should be allotted for them. At the polling stations, the Presiding Officer should brief the polling Agents about the facility provided to the polling personnel to vote in that polling station using EDC. The exercise of franchise using EDC by the polling staff shall take place only after the briefing and in presence of polling Agents. B ) FOR MICRO OBSERVER, ZONAL MAGISTRATES AND SECTOR PERSONNEL In the case of officials appointed as Micro Observers, Zonal magistrates and Sector personnel also, the facility of EDC may be extended if they are voters of the same P.C. For this purpose, the R.O. of the constituency will decide about the polling station in which the particular Zonal Magistrates and sector personnel will exercise their franchise. 2. POSTAL BALLOT PAPERS: . Postal ballot papers for service electors, polling personnel, police personnel, drivers, helpers, cleaners etc. shall be printed at the level of the Returning Officers of the Parliamentary constituency concerned A. Issue of Postal ballot papers to Service Voters. Service voters are eligible to receive Postal ballots. As soon as the list of contesting candidates is drawn up after the period for withdrawal of candidature is over, the printing and dispatch of postal ballot papers shall be done at the level of the Returning Officers of the Parliamentary constituency concerned within 48 hours by registered post under the supervision of Observer. The DEO will appoint a Nodal officer to supervise the entire process. The details of the PB sent A.C. wise shall be maintained in the form of a register giving the details and signature of the postal authorities shall be obtained in the register. B. Issue of Postal ballot papers to Polling Personnel.. PB issuing ARO or Officer –in- Charge of PB cell is to be advised to prepare PB and marked copy of Electoral Roll, on the basis of A.C. wise supplied Form-12 (home sub-division + other subdivision) of polling personnel, applicable for PB. PIN No. of polling personnel should be written on the cover containing PB of respective polling personnel. Prepared PBs along with register are to be sent back to the authorities from where the application was received. Similarly prepared PB is to be collected from other sub-divisions as it was sent to them for preparation of marked copy of electoral roll & PB. Officer-in –charge PP Cell will generate, enrollment AC wise, Venue –wise & Date wise list of Polling Personnel as per training schedule of 2nd day of training with PIN No. arranged in ascending order. and hand over the same to the Officer in-charge of EDC-PB Cell. Officer –in- Charge of EDC-PB cell on receipt of PB from other Sub-divisions as well PB prepared in his own Sub division will arrange to segregate all PBs - date wise, venue wise & enrollment AC wise as per training schedule of 2nd Day of training. Bunch of respective PBs of respective applicant are to be sent to training venue, on second day of training, for distribution through earmarked counters. On the second day of training, there shall be a separate space/room for the arrangement of postal ballot facilitation center at training venue for issuing the postal ballot to the concerned person. At facilitation center, there shall be a separate earmarked sufficient number of counters for the distribution of cover containing the postal ballot paper (13B) along with other forms (13A, 13C, 13D) should be handed over to the respective polling officials only after verifying their EPIC or any other ID as well as appointment letter. The record of issuance of PBs should be separately maintained in Format given in the ROs hand book with one more column indicating place of posting (Annex-XXVII) PAGE-375.Concerned RO/ARO should sign the said register. Once a PB is issued to a polling personnel called for training he shall after that cast his vote only through postal ballot even if he is exempted from election duty. Necessary sufficient arrangement for attestation of Form-13A and collection of polled postal ballots shall be made in the form of a “postal ballot facilitation center”. The polling officials should be advised to cast their vote on postal ballot paper in a voting compartment to maintain secrecy of voting and to drop the same personally in a sealed box to be kept there for the purpose under direct supervision of the concerned RO/ARO. It should be made it clear that the declaration in form-13A should not be put inside envelop in Form-13B. If any election duty staff is not able to vote at the facilitation center, he may send the postal ballot through register post or may drop it in the drop box kept for the purpose in the ROs office. The contesting candidates should be informed in advance, about the postal ballot voting in the facilitation center. Proper seating arrangement to be made for the candidates or their authorized representatives like polling agent. The whole process shall be recorded in videos. C) Postal Ballot for Police & Security Personnel: Police personnel, only those who will be engaged in election related duties on the day of poll shall only be eligible for obtaining PB. District wise nodal officer shall be identified by the S.P for preparing database of such police personnel. The data shall indicate the names of such police personnel; service ID No., details of A.C No., Part No. and serial No. of their elector particulars. The Nodal officer is to arrange to disburse blank applications in Form 12 along with a guideline for filling up the said form, for the issue of postal ballot papers to the police personnel to be deployed on election duty and whose name is appeared in the said list. The said Nodal Officer shall also collect duly filled Form-12 from police personnel. Received Rorm-12 will be sorted out district wise. S.P will submit the said prepared list to concerned DEO at least before seven days of Poll to maintain all formalities like preparation of marked copy of electoral roll by the RO/ARO. Police personnel are to be advised to exercise their voting right by issuing their P.B using postal services and receiving back the same by post or through drop box kept in the office of RO. Police Personnel are to be advised to give their details postal address of their place of posting in particular space of Form-12. All the application received in Form 12 shall be sorted out AC wise /District wise Postal Ballot for Drivers, Cleaners and Helpers The DEO shall make an advance plan to assess the requirement of vehicles to be requisitioned. At the time of requisitioning the vehicles, all relevant details about the drivers and cleaners shall be collected in a proforma. It shall be made clear to such electors that the address to be mentioned in Form 12 for dispatch a postal ballot shall be done at which he is registered as an elector and not any other address. The postal ballot papers will be issued to them by RO/ ARO only by registered post with A/D Each RO shall have a special box placed in his office with secured lock, duly sealed so that any such voters can come and dropped their marked PB in the Sealed cover in Form 13C Necessary arrangement for attestation of Form 13A of such person who wish to record their votes after collecting their postal ballot personally shall be made.