APPOINTMENT OF ELECTION STAFF AND DISCIPLINARY CONTROL

Criteria for appointment of DEOs.,ROs, EROS., AROs., and AEROs.

Subject
District Election Officer
Returning Officer for a Parliamentary Constituency

Election Commission's letter No. 508/94-PS-I, Dated : 13th January, 1994 addressed to The Chief Electoral Officers of all States and Union Territories.

Subject : - Criteria for appointment of District Election Officer, Returning Officer, Electoral Registration Officer, Assistant Returning Officer and Assistant Electoral Registration Officer.

Sir/Madam,

I am directed to invite your attention to the Commission's circular letter No. 508/93-PS-I dated 11th June, 1993 forwarding the objective criteria formulated by the Commission for appointment of District Election Officers, Returning Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, Assistant Returning Officers and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers.

2. Some of the Chief Electoral Officers had pointed out certain difficulties in adhering to the said objective criteria in toto while making recommendations for appointment of District Election Officers, Returning Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, Assistant Returning Officers and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers.

3. The Commission after carefully considering the matter has since revised the criteria, a copy of which is sent herewith.

4. You are requested to undertake a review of the existing notifications regarding appointment of the said officers in the light of the present criteria and submit, wherever necessary, fresh proposals to the Commission within 2 (two) months i.e. latest by 15th March, 1994, after adopting the prescribed procedure under law.

5. Kindly acknowledge the receipt of the letter before 21st January, 1994, positively.

CRITERIA FOR APPOINTMENT OF DISTRICT ELECTION OFFICER/RETURNING OFFICER/ELECTORAL REGISTRATION OFFICER/ASSISTANT RETURNING OFFICER/ASSISTANT ELECTORAL REGISTRATION OFFICER
1. District Election Officer :


(a) The District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner/District Collector/District Officer of the district (by whatever designation known in each State), shall, subject to the provision of sub-para (c), be designated as District Election Officer and no one lower in rank should be designated as the District Election Officer.

(b) There shall be a separate District Election Officer for each district and no officer should be designated as District Election Officer for more than one district.

(c) Because of the difficult terrain or other justifiable reasons, if the Commission is satisfied that the functions of the office in respect of the whole district cannot be performed satisfactorily by one officer, the Commission may, in terms of proviso to section 13AA (i) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, designate more than one District Election Officer for a district. In such cases the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner/District Collector/District Officer of the District shall be designated as the District Election Officer for that part of the district which covers his headquarter and another officer of the district level who is next only to the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner/District Collector/District Officer in the level of seniority and enjoying civil, criminal and revenue powers not less than those of the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner/District Collector/District Officer shall be designated as the District Election Officer for the remaining part of the district covering his headquarter. However, while designating more than one District Election Officer, no Assembly Constituency shall be split among more than one District Election Officer. All such officers should be appointed by designation and should be drawn from the general administration (including Revenue and Land Administration) Departments. The intention behind drawing officers from general administrative services/Revenue and Land Administration is to ensure that such officers have, by their training and background, experience of work similar in nature to the conduct of elections and other election-related matters. There will be no exceptions.

2. Returning Officer for a Parliamentary Constituency :

(a) The District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner/ District Collector/District Officer alone shall, subject to the provisions of sub-para (c), be designated as the Returning Officer for a parliamentary Constituency.

(b) In cases where there are two parliamentary constituencies totally contained within one district, the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner/District Collector/District Officer of the district shall be the Returning Officer of both the parliamentary constituencies.

(c) In cases where there are 3 or more parliamentary constituencies contained wholly or partly in one district, the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner/District Collector/District Officer of the district should be the Returning Officer of the parliamentary constituency in which the district headquarter falls and the adjoining parliamentary constituency major portion of which falls in the district. Another officer of the district level who is next only to the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner/District Collector/District Officer in the level of seniority and enjoy civil, criminal and revenue powers not less than those of the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner/District Collector/District Officer, should be designated as the Returning Officer for the remaining but not more than two, parliamentary constituencies. All such officers should be appointed by designation and should be selected/drawn from the general administration (including Revenue and land Administration) Departments. The intention behind drafting officers from General Administration Service/Revenue and Land Administration is to ensure that such officers have by their training and background, experience in the conduct of elections and other election related matters. There will be no exceptions.



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