Section 24(1) in The M.P. Panchayat Nirvachan Niyam, 1995
(1)The Returning Officer shall with the prior approval of the District Election Officer, appoint a Presiding Officer for each polling station and such Polling Officer or Officers to assist the Presiding Officer, as he thinks necessary :[Provided that no person who is not,-(i)a Government servant; or(ii)a servant of local authority; or(iii)a servant of a University established or incorporated by or under a Provincial or State Act; or(iv)any other institution, concern or undertaking which is established by or under a Provincial or State Act or which is not controlled, or not financed wholly or substantially by funds provided directly or indirectly, by the State Government;shall not be appointed as Presiding Officer.] [Substituted by Notification No. F.1-40-XXII-P-2, dated 10-4-2002. Prior to substitution it was as under: 'Provided that no person who is not a Government servant or a servant of any authority under the Municipal law or any public undertaking under the State Government shall be appointed as Presiding Officer'.]Provided further 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 Returning Officer accordingly.
