Section 9 in The Goa Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat (Election Procedure) Rules, 1996
9. Appointment of Election Staff.
(1)The Returning Officer shall appoint a Presiding Officer for each place fixed for recording of votes (hereinafter referred to as Polling station). He may also appoint one or more Polling Officers to assist the Returning Officer and Presiding Officer in election work. Such Officers may be appointed either by name or designation. The First Polling Officer shall perform the duties of the Presiding Officer in the absence of the Presiding Officer.(2)If any Polling Officer is absent from the Polling station, the Presiding Officer may appoint any person to act in place of such absentee and inform the Returning Officer accordingly.(3)No person who has been employed by or on behalf of or has been otherwise working for a candidate in or about the election shall be appointed as a Presiding or Polling Officer.(4)The Presiding and the Polling Officer shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as are imposed and conferred on them by these rules or as may be entrusted to them by the Returning Officer.(5)The Assistant Returning Officer shall, subject to the control of the Returning Officer, be competent to perform all or any of the functions of the Returning Officer:Provided that no Assistant Returning Officer shall perform any of the functions of the Returning Officer which relates to the scrutiny of the nomination papers [...] [The words 'or to the counting of votes' have been omitted vide 4th Amendment Rules, 2000 published in O. G., Series I No. 44 dated 1-2-2000.] unless the Returning Officer is prevented from performing the said functions by circumstances beyond his control.
