PSC notifies Asst System Manager: How is district recruitment going?

The Election Commission has recently again indicated that vacant election-related posts be filled up immediately. They have also called for a status report. I had also mentioned about staff recruitment in an earlier blog.
DEO/DMs may please review progress in recruitment.
Just for information, Public Service Commission has notified an advt for Assistant System Managers (66) in Anandabazar dt 21.6.2008. The last date of application is possibly 22.7.2008.

Ban on Transfer : With Immediate Effect

The Election Commission, in its order dated 16.6.2008, has directed that in order to reconstruct electoral rolls on account of delimitation of constituencies, there would be a ban on transfer of DEOs, EROs, AEROs and BLOs with immediate effect. For exceptional cases, prior approval of the Commission will have to be taken.
This has reference to no. 434/1/2008/ERS dt 16.6.2008 of the Commission
-CEO

Draft Polling Station List Published : But what is the new number of parts in each district?

As scheduled, draft list of polling stations for ALL 294 ACs of the state has been duly published by all DEOs yesterday (16.6.2008).
I'd now like to know by how much the number of parts have increased in each district.
Please post the information in the blog or inform Shri N.K.Sahana,IAS Jt CEO-I over phone:
Name of District:
Number of Parts Prior to Delimitation:
Number of Parts indicated in the Draft List published on 16.6.08
-CEO

Representative (IT) from each district to come to our office urgently

We have sent guidelines on how to send proposals for polling stations for the delimited constituencies.
Now we want to give pre-printed formats (R-1, R-2, R-3) for correlation of old part-sections to delimited part-sections, after rationalisation of polling stations. This means giving CDs and illustrative specimen formats.
To avoid doubts that may arise, OSD(IT) Shri Somnath De will hand over the CD, guidelines etc to each district to a competent IT-knowing representative of the district.
Each DEO may accordingly depute his representative forthwith to our office at Kolkata.
-CEO

Special Revision of Rolls : Time Schedule Approved by Commission

The Election Commission of India has directed that the revised programme for Special Revision of Photo-Electoral Rolls consequent upon the Delimitation of Constituencies shall be as follows:-

- Draft Publication of Rolls: 31.7.2008
- Period of Filing Claims and Objections : 31.7.08 to 07.8.08
- Last Date of Disposal of Claims & Objections: 22.08.08
- Final Publication of Photo-Electoral Rolls: 15.09.08

CEO

FAQs on Polling Station rationalisation (Revised)

I’d posted few FAQs on this blogpage earlier (on 18/02/08). As I’d mentioned in the Video Conference we must drastically modify our earlier approach. But in course of my visit to the districts/ blocks, I find some confusion persists. So here are a few revised latest FAQs:

1. Do we create polling stations if no. of voters exceed 1500 / 1200 / 1000?

- No. There is no 1200 / 1000 limit being applied now. Only the existing ceiling of 1500 continues. BUT, even here, as usual, we’ll make auxillary stations only when polls are declared. So, for existing parts, we don’t create additional parts merely on the ground that the number of electors is more than 1500.

2. Can we create any new Part with more than 1500 or less than 300 electors?

- No. We create new parts and/or polling stations only to ensure that voters of a mouza go to cast their votes in any polling station located physically in their own mouza. But the new part – whether totally new or amalgamated - cannot contain more than 1500 electors or less than 300 electors.

3. What are the other restrictions in creating a new polling station?

- A new polling station building can be set up only on the ground mentioned at (2) above. But the new building should be a govt/ semi govt one, of area 20 sq m or more, have separate doors for entry & exit and not be more than 2 km away from any elector’s home.

4. Do we set up a new polling booth if existing booth is more than 2 kms away from some voters?

- Since it is an existing booth, we don’t plan to interfere now. Perhaps we can look at it next year. However, if there is a serious long-standing issue, DEO can make out a special case with good reasons. It is noteworthy that too many increases in number of booths may land us in problem in finding polling personnel.

5. Can we shift the location of a polling booth?

- Yes. But reasons must be specifically mentioned; for example: (a) to enable villagers to vote in their own village (b) old building does not exist / old building dilapidated / old building in religious place etc

6. Can we amalgamate sections with other parts?

- Yes, without violating 1500 ceiling.

7. Can we split sections?

- Only if it is ABSOLUTELY necessary. Reasons must be very sharp.

8. We were told earlier that no electoral part should have more than one part-mouza: is this still relevant?

- No. Just forget it.

DMs/DEOs to complete recruitment of Data Entry Operators (for SDOs) by 31.8.08

Please see our GOs dated 28.8.07 and 18.2.07. Following norms, posts of Data Entry Operators are to be filled up through Employment Exchanges. This should be done by August 2008.

The district-wise break-up of vacancies to be so filled up are:
Cbr (5), Jpg (3), Dj (5), UD (2), DD (2), Mlda (3), Msd (6), Nad (4), N-24 (5), S-24 (6), Hwh (3), Hgl (5), WMdp (6), EMdp (6), Pla (4), Bnk (3), Bwn (5), Bbm (4), Ist LAC (1), DLRS (1)