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

always necessary to refresh your memory even if there is no change in the
law and procedure. By the last of the training classes you should be thorough
in the operation of the Electronic Voting Machines, fixing of green paper seal,
special tag, strip seal and all sealing procedure.
3. Application for Postal Ballot Paper
3.1 You and your Polling Officer may be electors in the same constituency in
which you are posted on duty or in some other constituency. The District
Election Officer/Returning Officer will Issue the order of appointment
appointing you as Presiding Officer in duplicate and alongwith this order the
District Election Officer/Returning Officer will send you sufficient number of
Forms 12 and 12A to enable you and the Polling Officers to apply for Postal
Ballot Papers and Election Duty Certificates. If nay one of you is an elector in
the same constituency, you can apply for an Election Duty Certificate in Form
12A to the Returning Officer. For an official, who is an elector from a
constituency other than the one where one is posted on election duty, he will
have to apply for a postal ballot paper in Form 12. In either case you have to
send the application form immediately along with the duplicate copy of the
order of appointment as otherwise there may not be enough time to receive
the Election Duty Certificate/Postal Ballot Paper. Instructions have been
issued that the procedure of postal ballot voting should be explained in the
training classes. It may be noted that once a postal ballot is issued to you,
you can vote only through postal ballot, even if you are not actually deployed
for election duty for any reason.
3.2 During rehearsals/training classes, a copy each of the electoral rolls for all the
assembly constituencies in the district will be made available for inspection by
the District Election Officer at the centre(s) for rehearsal and training classes,
so that you can note down your particulars regarding electoral roll numbers,
which you will have to furnish in your applications for Postal Ballot Paper.
Spare copies of Forms 12 will also be available at the said centre(s).
3.3 Sub-rule (2) of rule 24 of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, for voters on
electini duty the declaration in Form 13A can be attested by any gazetted
officer. Under the rules, you can also attest the declarations of Polling Officers
working with you.
3.4 It is advisable to apply for postal ballot papers immediately after coming to
know about your appointment on election duty without waiting for information
about place of duty to apply.