Entry into the polling station and counting hall — and the media
Rajasthan ULB General Election 2026 · Balotra · four orders, three of them from 2026
Why this file exists. Matching the Compendium's 85 orders against our material turned up four that no module had ever cited — and all four answer the same question: "who may stand inside a polling station or a counting hall?"
Order Date Subject Compendium 893 23.01.2026 authorisation letters to press personnel — power to the DEO item 20, p. 97 904 23.01.2026 🔴 Ministers / persons with PSO cover — cannot be agents at all item 21, p. 98 1259 03.02.2026 🔴 journalists' entry · photography/videography barred item 22, pp. 99–100 2332 24.8.1995 Divisional Commissioners — supervision and entry item 80, p. 323 I read all four pages myself.
§1 — 🔴🔴 Order 904 — the strictest and the simplest rule
No. F4(1)(3)/NP/SEC/05/904 · dated 23.01.2026 · (Rajesh Verma) CEO & Secretary Subject: "Appointment of sitting ministers as election agents and counting agents in municipal elections"
The order's own two sentences
1. "…security personnel are not allowed to enter the counting hall or the polling booths, except in the situation provided for in the relevant rules."
2. 🚨 "Minister of a government or such person who has been provided security cover (PSO) after assessing the threat perceptions at the appropriate level in the government, it is clarified that such persons are not allowed to be appointed as election agents or counting agents at all. This may be brought to the notice of all returning officers of the municipalities."
| ✅ Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| A candidate wants to appoint a Minister as election/counting agent | 🔴 the appointment cannot be made at all — the RO must not accept it |
| A candidate wants to appoint any person with PSO/security cover | 🔴 same — no appointment |
| An agent arrives with his security guard | 🔴 the guard does not go in (save the exception in the rules) |
🎯 The classroom sentence
"A Minister or a person with PSO cover cannot become an agent at all — this is not 'entry refused', it is appointment prohibited." ⚠️ The order is addressed to the RO — but the PRO and the counting supervisor must know it too, because the person carrying Form 9 or Form 19 will be standing in front of them.
§2 — 🔴 Order 1259 — journalists' entry, and a total bar on cameras
No. F.1(4)(1)/NaPa/RaNiA/2014/1259 · dated 03.02.2026 · (Rajesh Verma) 🔴 Supersession: "…superseding its earlier order no. 4587 dated 01.11.2019…" Power: Article 243-K of the Constitution
Who issues the pass
"The District Election Officer, on the recommendation of the District Public Relations Officer, may — to his own satisfaction — issue entry passes to accredited journalists and other media persons…"
| Who | What |
|---|---|
| District Public Relations Officer | recommends — and it is his responsibility that the number is reasonable |
| DEO | issues the pass to his own satisfaction |
| 🚨 DEO | "shall not delegate the power to issue entry passes to any other officer" |
🚨 The six conditions
| # | Condition |
|---|---|
| 1 | 🔴 A pass-holding journalist inside a polling booth — no photography or videography, and may not carry a mobile phone. 🚨 Under s. 131 of the RP Act 1951 the Presiding Officer has the power to refuse a non-complying media person entry into the polling station building and to direct them out — even if they hold a pass |
| 2 | 🔴 During the counting of municipal members — no journalist or camera team may do videography or photography inside the counting hall, and no mobile phone |
| 3 | A separate room shall be reserved for journalists at the counting centre with all information provided there. A journalist wishing to watch the actual counting may enter without camera or mobile — but a responsible officer shall stay with him, so that the secrecy of votes and the counting arrangement are not disturbed |
| 4 | 🔴 The RO/ARO also has the power to stop a non-complying media person from entering the counting hall, even if a pass has been issued |
| 5 | 🚨 At the counting venue, passes shall be issued for one journalist and one photographer per newspaper — only that many |
| 6 | The recommendation with names must reach the DEO at least 15 days before the election |
🎯 Three sentences for the PRO
1. "Holding a pass does not carry a right to bring in a camera or a mobile." 2. "If he does not comply I may send him out of the building under s. 131 — pass or no pass." 3. "During the counting of members, no camera in the counting hall at all."
§3 — Order 893 — the authority to issue press passes
No. F 4(1)(3)NP/SEC/14/893 · dated 23.01.2026
"…authorises all District Election Officers … to issue authorisation letter to press personnel for municipal elections. The list of these personnel shall be submitted by Astt. Director (Public Relation)/ PRO of the District to the District Election Officers who will take decision … as per local circumstances and exigency."
⚠️ Here "PRO" does not mean Presiding Officer
In this order PRO = Public Relations Officer. 🚨 Throughout the rest of our material PRO = Presiding Officer. Keep that in mind when reading this one order — otherwise the meaning inverts.
893 and 1259 do not conflict: 893 gives the authority (the DEO may issue letters); 1259 puts conditions on it and is the later order (03.02.2026). Read them together.
§4 — Order 2332 — Divisional Commissioners
No. F.4(2)(1)/P&M/SEC/94/2332 · dated 24.8.1995 🔴 Supersession: "In supersession of its earlier order No. F.4(2)(1)P&M/SEC/94/2294 dated 23.8.95…"
"…authorises all Divisional Commissioners for general supervision on conduct of municipal elections within their respective jurisdiction. The Divisional Commissioner and the officer/official put for their assistance shall be treated on election duty and will be entitled to enter into polling stations and counting centres."
| Who | Entitlement |
|---|---|
| Divisional Commissioner | general supervision in his division · treated on election duty · entry to polling stations and counting centres |
| Officers/officials put for their assistance | the same |
⚠️ A 1995 order — so why in force? Because the Commission reprinted it in its own 2026 Compendium (item 80, printed p. 323) — that is basis (a) of Supersession register Part 2. Not my inference.
§5 — ✅ One table — who may come inside
| Person | Polling station | Counting hall | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voter | ✅ to vote | ❌ | — |
| Polling / counting agent (Form 9 / 19) | ✅ | ✅ | the Rules |
| 🔴 Minister / person with PSO — as an agent | ❌ appointment itself barred | ❌ same | order 904 |
| 🔴 Security personnel | ❌ (save the exception in the rules) | ❌ | order 904 |
| Accredited journalist (DEO's pass) | ✅ no camera, no mobile | ✅ no camera/mobile, officer alongside | order 1259 |
| — the same, not complying | 🔴 PRO sends them out of the building (s. 131) | 🔴 RO/ARO refuses entry | order 1259 (1) and (4) |
| Divisional Commissioner + assisting officers | ✅ | ✅ | order 2332 |
| Observers / those on election duty | ✅ | ✅ | Rules/orders |
| Anyone else | 🔴 needs the Commission's valid pass | 🔴 same | MCC clause (V) (→ BALOTRA §6) |
🚨 An agent's badge is allowed, but not one carrying a symbol or a name — already recorded at BALOTRA §6 item 4.
§6 — 🚨 Three things to do in Balotra
| # | Do | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tell the RO — do not accept the appointment of a Minister/PSO-covered person as an agent (order 904) | when appointment letters are received |
| 2 | Tell the PRO and counting supervisors — a pass ≠ a camera or a mobile; the s. 131 power | in training |
| 3 | Ask the DEO whether the press recommendation met the 15-day deadline (order 1259, condition 6) | 🚨 poll 11.09 — counting 14.09 |
Source: Compendium orders 893 · 904 · 1259 · 2332 — printed pp. 97 · 98 · 99–100 · 323, all four read first-hand
How they were found: _tools/compendium_check.py (23.08.2026) — among the orders no module had ever cited
Hindi parallel: मतदान केन्द्र व मतगणना कक्ष में प्रवेश — और मीडिया
Related: बालोतरा जिला — प्रशिक्षण पैक · Forms and Annexures — complete training module ·
Supersession register — which order replaces which · DEO_QUESTIONS_en