Presiding officers and polling personnel have been directed not to share their phone numbers with unknown individuals or accept any help or gifts from anyone, as part of instructions issued by the Election Commission to district election officers (DEOs).
In a recent notification, the EC outlined a set of guidelines and duties for presiding officers, sector officers and polling teams, stating that “any non-compliance of these instructions or other instructions of the ECI, may invite strict disciplinary action”.
DEOs have been asked to distribute printed copies of the instructions — in Bengali and English — to sector officers, returning officers and presiding officers at least five days before polling, and to submit a compliance report.
“Some of the instructions were framed based on feedback from polling personnel and ground reports from previous elections in Bengal,” a senior EC official said.
“Lapses such as allowing local residents to enter polling stations before the elections, or permitting polling agents to frequently leave and re-enter booths, have been categorised as ‘punishable crimes’.”
Central forces have been instructed that only individuals with valid entry cards will be allowed to enter the premises a day before polling, and presiding officers have been tasked with ensuring that no unauthorised persons gain entry.
Polling teams have been directed to “conduct a walkthrough of polling premises” along with central forces. This includes deciding the 100-metre perimeter, locations for Voter Assistance Booths, planning voter queue alignment and locations for jawans. “They must check the room where voting will occur for any unauthorised electronic devices...,” the notification states.