ECI increases remuneration for poll personnel ahead of elections
The Statesman | 26 March 2026
In a significant development the Election Commission has decided to increase the remuneration of presiding officers, polling officers, counting personnel, micro-observers and other officials engaged in election duty, according to sources.
The move comes as part of efforts to streamline poll management and ensure smoother conduct of the electoral process by providing better financial incentives to those involved at various levels.
Under the revised structure, presiding officers will now receive an additional Rs 150 per day, taking their daily remuneration from Rs 350 to Rs 500.
In total, they will be entitled to Rs 2,000 for their duty period.
Similarly, polling officers will see their daily allowance rise by Rs 150, from Rs 250 to Rs 400, with a consolidated payment of Rs 1,600.
The election commission has also increased the pay-packet of the counting assistants who will now get enjoy a daily remuneration increase of Rs 250 to Rs 450, marking a rise of Rs 200.
They will now receive a total of Rs 1,350 for their services. For Group D or fourth-grade staff, the daily allowance has been increased by Rs 150, from Rs 200 to Rs 350, bringing their total remuneration to Rs 1,400.
In the case of fourth-grade staff engaged in call centres or control rooms, the earlier daily payment of Rs 200 has been replaced with a consolidated remuneration of Rs 1,000.
Meanwhile, personnel involved in video surveillance teams, video viewing teams, accounting teams, control rooms and call centres have been categorised into two groups for payment purposes.
For Class I and II officers in these teams, the remuneration has been raised from a lump sum of Rs 1,200 to Rs 3,000.
For Class III staff, the amount has been doubled from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000.
Micro observers, who play a crucial role in maintaining transparency during polling, will now receive Rs 2,000 as a lump sum, up from the earlier Rs 1,000.
The revised remuneration structure is expected to boost morale among election personnel and enhance efficiency in the conduct of polls, especially in a high-stakes electoral environment.