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

CHAPTER XV
COMMENCEMENT OF THE POLL
1. Commencement of the poll
The poll should commence at the appointed time. Your preliminaries should
be over by then. Even if for any unforeseen reason you are not in a position to
commence the poll at the appointed hour, you should explain the reasons for
the delay in your Presiding Officer’s Diary.
2. Warning about secrecy of voting
Before commencing the poll, you must explain to all including the contesting
candidates or their polling agents, who are present at the polling station, the
provisions of Section 128 of the Act (Annexure I), regarding their duty to
maintain the secrecy of the vote and the penalty for any breach thereof.
3. Precautions for indelible ink
Ask the Polling Officer in-charge of indelible ink to take adequate precautions
to see that the phial containing the indelible ink is kept carefully in such a
manner that it does not get tilted and the ink spilt during the poll. For that
purpose, take some sand or loose earth in a cup provided for the purpose or
an empty tin or some broad-bottomed vessel, and push the phial down threequarters
of its length into the centre of the vessel so that it is steadily
embedded in the sand or earth. Also ensure that the plastic rod attached to
the cork is left/kept standing in the phial and not taken out except for the
purpose of marking the voter’s forefinger. The rod should always be held with
its marking end pointing vertically downwards. Otherwise, some of the ink will
drip down the rod and spoil the fingers of the person using it.
264. Marked copy of the electoral roll
Before the commencement of poll, you should also demonstrate to the
contesting candidates/polling agents and other persons, who are present at
the polling station that the marked copy of the electoral roll (copy of the
electoral roll to be used for 'marking' the names of electors who are allowed to
vote) does not contain any remarks other than those used for issuing postal
ballot papers, EDC and CSVs, if any, and that the deletions appearing in the
supplement, if any, appended to the draft roll as well as the supplement
prepared after disposal of claims and objections before final publication have
been reflected in the reprinted mother roll by strikethrough method in the
electoral roll of eight columns without photograph and with the word "D E L E
T E D" superimposed on the concerned elector detail box in the case of photo
electoral roll and that while doing so no other entry is either deleted or altered
or omitted;
5. Register of voters in From 17A
Also show to the contesting candidates/polling agents and all others, who are
present at the polling station that the Register of Voters (in form 17A), (in
which entries will be made in respect of each elector who is allowed to vote