Polling Officers — EVM Handbook

Rajasthan ULB General Election 2026 · Model: ECIL MPSV

⛔ CAUTION — the identity-document list has changed. The Margdarsika's Annexure-16 (order 603 dated 19.01.2026) has been superseded by SEC order 5310 dated 30.07.2026. For the operative list and the three new conditions — issued before the announcement of the election, original document, and valid only up to any expiry date printed on it — see 10 §1.

Every instruction is sourced. See SOURCES. Procedures not found in an official document are not written here — see GAPS.

🔗 Every citation tag is clickable in CITATIONS — it opens the source PDF at the exact page.

✅ The duty allocation is now available — read this first

This handbook previously did not state which of Polling Officers 1 / 2 / 3 does what, because the four original sources behind this module (the ECIL MPSV manual, circular 2184, SO 149/2026, SO 145/2026) nowhere allocated duties — and it was not invented.

On 21.08.2026 the Commission's Margdarsika 2026 was obtained, and its Chapter 2 gives exactly that allocation. It is now §5 of this handbook.

Source: State Election Commission, Rajasthan — Guide for Presiding Officers, Municipal Elections 2026, Chapter 2 (printed pp 4-7). Cited as [MG Ch.2].

🚨 One important correction: the ECIL manual (2019) attributes every EVM action, including BALLOT, to the "Presiding Officer". Per the 2026 Margdarsika the Control Unit is in the charge of the Third Polling Officer, who normally presses the Ballot button - at small polling stations the Presiding Officer may do this work as well [MG Ch.2(3)].

1. Know the machine [MPSV Ch.1–2]

An EVM has two units:

Unit	Role	Note
Control Unit (CU)	The device that conducts the election — on the Presiding Officer's table	No polling data is stored in it
Ballot Unit (BU)	For the voter to cast the vote — in the voting compartment	Connected to the CU by a 5-metre cable
SDMM	Secure Detachable Memory Module, inside the CU	All election data is stored here

The State Election Commission has had MPSV machines made in pink colour; their carrying cases are also pink [MPSV Ch.1].
There is no scope for an invalid vote in an EVM, and the secrecy of polling data is fully maintained [MPSV Ch.1].
Braille signage is provided on the Ballot Unit for the visually impaired [MPSV Ch.1].

2. Lamps and sounds — know what they mean

Signal	Where	Meaning
Green lamp	CU	Power ON [MPSV Ch.1]
Red `Busy` lamp	CU	Machine busy — a voter is casting a vote [MPSV Ch.3]
Green `Ready` lamp	BU	The voter may now cast the vote [MPSV Ch.3]
Red arrow lamp beside a candidate	BU	The vote has been recorded for that candidate [MPSV Ch.3]
Beep + all lamps off	CU and BU	Vote cast — machine ready for the next voter [MPSV Ch.3]

🚫 Do not switch the CU off while the beep is sounding [MPSV Ch.5].

3. Three rules of discipline during the poll

(Source: [MPSV Ch.5])

Only one voter in the voting compartment at a time.
The voter goes in in the same order in which their name appears in the voter register.
BALLOT is pressed only after the previous voter has completed voting and come out of the compartment.

4. Preconditions before a voter is allowed to vote

According to the EVM manual, a voter is permitted to vote after [MPSV Ch.5, Ch.7]:

identification of the voter;
indelible ink on the forefront of the left index finger;
signature and thumb impression in the voter register.

Only then is the BALLOT button on the Control Unit pressed [MPSV Ch.7(ii)].

⚠️ Which documents are valid for voter identification, the marked copy of the electoral roll, the form of the voter register, tendered votes and challenged votes — none of these are in the source documents of this module. Use the Commission's separate circulars (voter identity: 19.01.2026 and 30.07.2026; indelible ink: 04.02.2026). See GAPS §5.

5. Allocation of duties — ✅ now available from an official source

Source: State Election Commission, Rajasthan — नगरपालिका चुनाव: पीठासीन अधिकारियों के लिए मार्गदर्शिका 2026 (Guide for Presiding Officers, Municipal Elections 2026), Chapter 2, "मतदान दल के सदस्यों का कार्य विभाजन" (printed pp 4–7). Cited here as [MG Ch.2]. File: Margdarsika_EVM_NP_2026.pdf

(This section was previously left blank because the ECIL manual and the circulars did not allocate duties. The 2026 Margdarsika supplies it.)

5.1 First Polling Officer (PO-1) — marked electoral roll and identification [MG Ch.2(1)]

#	Duty
1	In charge of the marked copy of the electoral roll; responsible for identifying the voter
2	Identify on the basis of the photo documents specified by the Commission (Annexure-16); also check that there is no indelible ink mark on the left forefinger
3	Holds the marked copy showing deleted names as "Deleted"; the printed serial numbers of the original list are not disturbed by deletions
4	On identification, call out all the voter's particulars loudly so that PO-2 and the polling agents seated behind can hear. Agents may object to identity at this moment
5	Immediately underline the name; put a tick (√) to the left for a woman voter and a *star () to the left for a voter recorded as third gender — so the totals of male, female and third-gender voters can be counted at the end. The result is recorded in the Presiding Officer's diary**
6	🚨 A voter who brings no identity slip must not be turned away — finding the name is this officer's duty
7	Polling agents / candidate / election agent may challenge identity at this stage, not later
8	All proceedings after a challenge are conducted by the Presiding Officer
9	Once identity is established the voter proceeds to PO-2

Format of the identity slip [MG Ch.2(1)6 note]: on white paper, carrying only — (i) name of municipality and ward number (ii) polling station number and name (iii) voter's name (iv) part number and serial number. 🚫 Printing the candidate's name or election symbol on it is a legal offence. After identity is established, tear the slip and put it in the wastebasket — do not throw it on the floor.

5.2 Second Polling Officer (PO-2) — voter register and indelible ink [MG Ch.2(2)]

Materials: bottle of indelible ink · voter register · working copy of the electoral roll · ball pen · stamp pad · piece of wet cloth

Applying the indelible ink: - On the left hand forefinger (the first finger next to the thumb), on the soft skin just above the nail, touching the nail - Dip only the upper part of the brush; the mark should spread over the ridge between skin and nail - Keep the finger straight; allow at least 30 seconds to dry; do not let the voter rub it for 30 seconds - If oil or a greasy substance has been applied to defeat the ink, clean it with the cloth first - 🚫 A woman voter's finger is not to be touched - If the finger is missing — any finger of the left hand → right forefinger → any finger beginning from the forefinger → if no finger on either hand, on the stump/end of whichever hand {Rule 35-A(2)(b)} - 🚨 If such a mark already exists, the voter is taken to have already voted and shall not be allowed to vote; and no voter shall be allowed to vote without getting the indelible ink mark {Rule 35-A(2)(a)} - In a re-poll, the original mark is disregarded and a fresh mark is applied at the root of the nail of the MIDDLE FINGER of the left hand — Commission's order 2205 dated 04.07.2019 (Annexure-18)

Voter register (Form 14-क / 14-A): - Column (1): continuous serial number starting at 1; 15 serial numbers per page; pre-write the numbers on some pages in advance - Column (2): the voter's serial number in the marked copy - Remark column: the last four digits of the identity document's number (the full number if it has fewer than four digits) - Column (3): signature or thumb impression - A signature means writing the full name. If a literate voter merely makes a mark, take a thumb impression; if he refuses that too, he shall not be permitted to vote - Thumb impression order: left thumb → right thumb → finger beginning from the left forefinger → right forefinger → finger beginning from the forefinger. It need not be attested; it must be clear; afterwards wipe the ink off with the wet cloth - If there is no finger on the left hand, the voter necessarily needs a companion under Rule 38-A; the companion's signature/thumb impression is taken in the register and in Form 12, with an entry to that effect in column 4

Voter slip — prepared by PO-2 and given to the voter: (1) Sr. No. per column (1) of the register (2) the voter's Sr. No. in the electoral roll (3) signature of the polling officer. Half the size of a postcard, supplied in bundles of 50. The voter is then sent to whoever is in charge of the Control Unit — the Presiding Officer or PO-3.

5.3 Third Polling Officer (PO-3) — in charge of the Control Unit [MG Ch.2(3)]

#	Duty
1	In charge of the Control Unit; sits at the Presiding Officer's table, right beside him, so the PRO can watch the CU and the process closely
2	Admits the voter to the voting compartment only on the voter slip issued by PO-2; also checks the indelible ink mark is clear
3	Admits voters in the order the slips were issued. If the order breaks for an unavoidable reason, note it in column (4) of the voter register, and likewise for later voters whose order was affected
4	Keeps the collected slips in a separate envelope; that envelope is sealed after the close of poll
5	Presses the `Ballot` button when the voter enters the compartment → CU `Busy` red, BU `Ready` green
6	When the voter presses a button, the lamp against that candidate/NOTA glows red, the green lamp on top of the BU goes off, and a beep sounds; within seconds the beep ends, the red lamp and the CU's `Busy` go off = the vote is recorded
7	🚫 Only one voter in the compartment at a time; `Ballot` is not pressed until the previous voter has come out
8	During the poll, press `Total` to ascertain the count and reconcile with the voter register; the PRO should ascertain it from time to time for the Presiding Officer's diary (Annexure-7, item 19). Press `Total` only when the `Busy` lamp is not lit
9	🚨 At small polling stations the Presiding Officer may also do PO-3's work — in which case two polling officers besides the Presiding Officer are sufficient

⚠️ Correction to the earlier version: this handbook previously said that in the available documents every EVM action, including BALLOT, was attributed to the "Presiding Officer". Per the 2026 Margdarsika the Ballot button is normally pressed by the Third Polling Officer (by the Presiding Officer at small stations). The ECIL manual's general wording (2019) is superseded on this point.

5-A. 🚨 Voters with disabilities — order 4297 dated 24.10.2019

Source: Commission's order F.1(4)(1)/NPA/RANIA/2014/4297 dated 24.10.2019 — "Providing assistance in voting to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in municipal elections." File: 2019-10-24_4297_PwD.pdf

🚨 The order's closing line: "To ensure these arrangements, all personnel of the polling party shall be specially told during training."

Four things that fall directly on the polling party

#	What to do
1	🚨 Priority — "PwDs shall be given priority for voting at the polling station." Do not make them wait in the queue
2	The wheel-chair must reach the polling station. No permanent ramp → build a temporary ramp. NSS members, NCC cadets and Scout Guides may be used to assist
3	🚨 Sensitivity — "be sensitive to their special needs, behave with special courtesy and provide extra assistance"
4	Pay special attention to those with speech and hearing impairment

🚨 This does not replace rule 38-A

Order 4297	Rule 38-A
Facilities — ramp, priority, wheel-chair, helper	Legal procedure — companion, declaration, Form 12, register column 4
Applies to all voters with disabilities	Applies only to those who, by blindness or other infirmity, cannot record the vote themselves

❌ Providing a ramp does not remove the need to allow a companion. ❌ Allowing a companion does not remove the duty to provide a ramp or priority. They operate independently — the full companion procedure is in §5.2 and the records handbook.

⚠️ District nodal officer — point 1 of the order requires a nodal officer for each municipality, with the mobile number publicised. Get that number written down in training — it will be needed on duty.

6. Reconciling the count — the whole team's responsibility

TOTAL may be pressed at any time to see how many have voted — only when the Busy lamp is off [MPSV Ch.5].
Keep reconciling the voter register against the machine's total at intervals [MPSV Ch.7(ii)].
Check with TOTAL after the first or second voter has finished [MPSV Ch.5].
At the end, reconcile the voter register count with the CU total [MPSV Ch.5].

7. If something goes wrong — tell the Presiding Officer immediately

Polling Officers must not attempt any correction on the machine themselves. On seeing any of the following, inform the Presiding Officer [MPSV Ch.7]:

Display / symptom	Usual cause
`LINK ERROR-1`	Interconnecting cable not fitted properly, or slide switch in wrong position
`PRESSED ERROR`	Some button on a BU was already pressed or jammed
`TOTAL` gives no response	`Busy` lamp is ON — let the voter record the vote
`SDMM NOT RESPONDING`	SDMM loose or not fitted
`CLOCK ERROR`	Defect in the Real Time Clock
`INOPERATIVE` / `SECURITY NOT CONFIGURED` / `BU NOT CONFIGURED`	Machine not fit to work
`READY` lamp on BU blinking continuously	BU in inoperative state
No beep and no display on switching on	Control Unit defective

The remedy for PRESSED ERROR — going into the voting compartment and pressing all buttons once, gently, so the jammed button returns to its original position — is to be done only on the Presiding Officer's direction [MPSV Ch.7].

If a voter cannot vote because of a machine problem, the Presiding Officer follows this sequence [MPSV Ch.7(ii)]: remove the BU cable to create a LINK ERROR → switch the CU off → reconnect the cable → switch the CU on → press BALLOT after all messages finish → the voter votes again.

8. Care of the machine — what not to do

(Source: [MPSV Ch.7])

Do not apply excessive pressure on latches, hinges etc.; avoid rough handling.
Do not keep the EVM near heaters or hot objects; protect it from dust, heat, rain and fire.
Do not open covers or doors by force.
🚫 Do not try to open the Control Unit or Ballot Unit — it will become inoperative.
Do not hit or smash the interconnecting cable connector; when disconnecting, do not pull the cable without pressing the clips on the hood.
🚫 Do not connect/disconnect the BU while the CU is ON.
🚫 Do not insert/remove the SDMM while the CU is ON.
While sealing, the direct candle flame must not touch the machine and molten wax must not fall on any part.
Do not open the CLOSE button cap unnecessarily during the poll [MPSV Ch.5].

9. Cable layout — a safety point

The cable between the Ballot Unit and the Control Unit is 5 metres long. The voting compartment must be placed at a sufficient distance from the Presiding Officer's table, keeping the cable length in mind [MPSV Ch.5].

Route the cable so that voters' movement is not obstructed and they do not have to walk on it. The cable may be tied to the table leg on both the CU and BU sides [MPSV Ch.5].

10. Five things to remember

Do not let the mock poll votes go un-CLEARed — it is the Presiding Officer's action, but the whole team should remind them [MPSV Ch.5].
TOTAL only when the Busy lamp is off [MPSV Ch.5].
One voter at a time, in register order, and BALLOT only after the previous voter leaves [MPSV Ch.5].
Keep reconciling the register against the machine count during the poll [MPSV Ch.7(ii)].
Never experiment on the machine yourself — report any unusual message to the Presiding Officer.