handbook for presiding officers - Chief Electoral Officer, Govt. of Sikkim

CHAPTER XXXI
SEALING OF THE VOTING MACHINE AFTER CLOSE OF POLL
1.1 After the poll has been closed and the ‘account of votes recorded’ in the
voting machine has been prepared in Form 17C and copies thereof furnished
to the polling agents present, the voting machine should be sealed and
secured for transportation to the counting/collection centre.
1.2 For sealing and securing the voting machine, the power switch in the control
unit should first be switched 'OFF' and then the ballot unit(s) and the control
unit should be disconnected. The ballot unit(s) and the control unit should now
be put back in their respective carrying cases.
1.3 Each carrying case should then be sealed at both ends by passing a thread
through the two holes provided for the purpose on both sides of the carrying
case and putting thread seal with an address tag showing the particulars of
the election, the polling station and the unit contained therein and carrying the
Presiding Officer's dated signatures and seal on it.
1.4 The particulars on the address tag on the control unit and ballot unit shall be
the same as mentioned in para 2(1) of chapter III. The contesting candidates
or their polling agents, who are present at the polling station and desirous of
putting their seals on the address tag, should also be allowed to do so.
1.5 The names of the contesting candidates/polling agents who have affixed their
seals on the address tags on the carrying cases of the ballot unit(s) and
control unit should also be noted by you in the declaration which you have to
make at the close of the poll vide Part IV of Annexure VII.