Section 41 in The Orissa Grama Panchayats Election Rules, 1965
41.
(a)Polling shall then commence at the appointed hour.(b)As each voter approaches the Presiding Officer, he shall check up the eligibility with reference to the working copy of the electoral roll and issue a ballot-paper to the voter for the Office of Sarpanch after putting an indelible ink mark on his left forefinger. The Presiding Officer shall clearly explain to each voter the procedure to be followed in putting his mark. The voter shall then proceed along with the ballot-paper to the enclosure and [affix a cross mark] [Substituted vide Orissa Gazette Extraordinary No. 903, dated 15.5.2001 SRO No. 228/2001.] secretly against the candidate whom he wishes to vote either with the stamp provided for the purpose or by any other method as may be decided by the Presiding Officer. After affixing the mark the voter should fold the ballot-paper on the inner side so as to maintain secrecy of the vote and proceed to the Presiding Officer and insert the folded ballot-paper into the box specified for the purpose.(c)The Presiding Officer shall then issue another ballot-paper for the office of ward member. At the time of issuing such ballot-paper, the voter shall on being asked allow his left forefinger to be marked with indelible ink if no such marking is already made as per the foregoing sub-rule. The voter shall then proceed along with ballot-paper to the enclosure and affix a mark secretly against the candidate whom he wishes to vote either with the stamp provided for the purpose or by any other method as may be decided by the presiding officer. After affixing the mark the voter should fold the ballot-paper on the inner side so as to maintain secrecy of the vote and then wilt insert the told ballot-paper into the box specified for the purpose.(d)Any reference in this rule to the left fore-finger of a voter shall, in the case where the voter has his left fore-finger missing, be construed as a reference to any other finger of his left hand and shall in the case where all the fingers of his left hand are missing, be construed as a reference to the forefinger or, as the case may be, any other finger of his right hand and shall in the case where all his fingers of both the hands are missing, be construed as a reference to such extremity of his left or right arm as he possesses.
