Local Poll: Perform Duties in Accordance with Election Rules

Local Poll: Perform Duties in Accordance with Election Rules

No Personal Decisions
Collector’s Advice to ROs and AROs

Local Poll : Collector Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu has directed the Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) to conduct the elections for village panchayat sarpanch and ward members strictly according to the rules and regulations set by the Election Commission, without making any independent decisions under any circumstances. A training session was held on Tuesday at Kshatriya Engineering College in Chepur, located on the outskirts of Armur, for ROs and AROs to raise awareness about the procedures for conducting the first phase of the panchayat elections.

During the event, the Collector emphasized that election duties related to legality must be performed with great care. He stated that only with a clear understanding of the rules and regulations can officials carry out their duties efficiently and avoid errors. He urged the officials to pay attention during the training, read the handbook (Kara Deepika) provided by the Election Commission, and ensure that the elections are conducted smoothly according to EC guidelines. The Collector further advised that any doubts should be clarified by consulting the appropriate officials.

As per the Election Commission’s directive, candidates contesting for the positions of Sarpanch and Ward members in the Gram Panchayat elections are required to open a new bank account specifically for election-related transactions. This information should be conveyed to the candidates when they come to submit their nomination papers.

The Collector also advised that the office chosen for the nomination reception should be appropriately selected in advance. The nomination reception, scrutiny, and withdrawal processes should be conducted under the direct supervision of the returning officers, following EC guidelines. He stressed the importance of adhering to the time schedule and ensuring that a wall clock is available in the nomination reception room.

Regarding the withdrawal of nominations, the Collector suggested that it should only be allowed after a thorough examination of all necessary documents when the proposers, not the candidates themselves, come for the withdrawal. The names of candidates should be printed alphabetically on the ballot paper, with the alphabetical order based on the names in the voter list. He advised that if multiple sets of nominations are submitted by candidates, all the nomination papers should be reviewed, noting how many were accepted, how many were rejected, and the reasons for rejections. A daily report should be sent promptly, and the nomination papers should be scanned and uploaded to the relevant website.

Once the withdrawal process is completed, the Collector recommended that the ballot paper be prepared carefully, including the names of the candidates still in the race, their allotted symbols, and the “NOTA” (None of the Above) option. He concluded by emphasizing that election duties should be conducted with complete transparency, ensuring that no objections arise and the district gains a positive reputation.

The training was attended by Armur RDO Rajagoud, District Panchayat Officer Srinivas, Municipal Commissioner Raju, ACP Venkateswar Reddy, DLPO A. Sivakrishna, along with ROs, AROs, MPDOs, Tehsildars, and MPOs.