Section 30 in Andhra Pradesh Municipalities (Conduct of Election of Members) Rules, 2005
30. Check It.
- Voting at Polling Station:(1)A polling station shall have one or more polling booths. If a poll has to be taken, the Election Officer shall appoint forthwith a Presiding Officer and none or more Polling Officers for each polling booth and may pay them reasonable remuneration for their services. The Election Officer may, if necessary, appoint one or more identifying officers to assist the presiding Officer in identifying the electors. The polling personnel shall not consist of any Members, or any officer, or other employee of the municipality except those appointed as identifying officers: Provided that if a Polling Officer is absent from the polling station, the Presiding Officer may appoint any person who is present at the polling station other than a person who has been employed by or on behalf of or has been otherwise working for a candidate in or about the election to be the Polling Officer during the absence of the former officer and inform the Election Officer accordingly: Provided further that nothing in this sub-rule shall prevent the Election Officer from appointing the same person to be Presiding Officer for more than one polling station in the same premises.(2)A Polling Officer shall, if so directed by the Presiding Officer perform all or any of the functions of a Presiding Officer under these rules or any rules or orders made thereunder.(3)If the Presiding Officer owing to illness or other unavoidable cause, is obliged to absent himself from the polling station, his functions shall be performed by such polling officer as has been previously authorised by the Election Officer to perform such functions during any such absence.(4)The Presiding Officer shall keep order at the polling station, shall see that the election is fairly conducted, shall regulate the number of electors to be admitted at one time and shall exclude all other persons except:(a)the candidates and at each booth one agent of each candidate at a time hereinafter referred to as the polling agent;(b)the police or other public servants on duty;(c)his own Polling Officers and such persons as the Presiding Officer may from time to time admit for the purpose of identifying electors;(d)a child in arms accompanying a voter; and(e)the companions of blind and infirm voters who cannot move without help.(5)(a)Where a woman elector cannot be identified by the identification officers appointed under sub rule (1) by reason of her observing purdah she may be required to be identified by any of her near relatives unless she otherwise satisfies the Presiding Officer of her identity.(b)If any question arises as to whether a person is or is not a near relative within the meaning of clause (a) above, it shall be decided by the Presiding Officer and his decision shall be final.(6)It shall be the duty of every Polling Officer provided by the Election Officer at a polling station/booth to assist the Presiding Officer for such station/ booth in the performance of his functions.
