How to seal all the Election Papers in covers and Packets by Presiding Officer to submit to Returning officer

Sealing of Election Papers in covers and Packets by Presiding Officer to submit to Returning officer

After the close of poll, all election papers relating to the poll shall be sealed in separate packets as required by Rule 49U of the Conduct of Elections Rules,1961 (See Annexure-2).

All the packets so sealed, except the packets containing 

1. The account of votes recorded and paper seal account (in Form 17C),
2. The declarations by the Presiding Officer before the commencement of poll, during the poll and after Close of poll (Annexure 5),
3. The Presiding Officer’s Diary,
4. Visit Sheet
5. The 16-Point Observer’s Report

All the above should be put in four large packets as explained in paragraph 31.1.3 below and sent to the Returning Officer.

The covers containing (i) the account of votes recorded and paper seal account, (ii) the declarations by the Presiding Officer, and (iii) the Presiding Officer’s Diary, (iv) Visit Sheet and the 16-Point Observer’s Report should be sent separately alongwith the voting machine to the receiving centre. how-to-seal-all-the-election-papers-in-covers-and-packets-by-presiding-officer-to-submit-to-returning-officer.

You should allow each contesting candidate or his election agent or his polling agent, who may be present at the polling station, to affix his seals on the envelopes and packets containing the following documents:

1. The marked copy of electoral roll;
2. the Register of Voters;
3. Voter’s slips;
4. The used tendered ballot papers and the list of tendered votes in Form 17B;
5. The unused tendered ballot papers;
6. The list of challenged votes;
7. The unused and damaged paper seals, if any;
8. Appointment letters of polling agents; and
9. Any other papers that the Returning Officer has directed to be kept in a sealed packet.

PACKING OF STATUTORY, NON-STATUTORY COVERS AND ELECTION MATERIALS

In order to avoid delay and the inconvenience of waiting at the place for depositing sealed voting machine, VVPAT, election papers and all other materials, you are advised to pack the covers and other materials in four separate large packets, as explained below, and hand them over at the place appointed for receipt thereof.

The first packet (coloured GREEN) should contain the sealed covers mentioned below

and should be super-scribed as “STATUTORY COVERS”:

1. The sealed cover containing the marked copy of the electoral roll;
2. The sealed cover containing the Register of Voters;
3. The sealed cover containing voter’s slips;
4. The sealed cover containing unused tendered ballot papers;
5. The sealed cover containing the used tendered ballot papers and the list in Form 17B.

Even if a statement or record to be put in any cover mentioned above is ‘Nil’, a slip noting on it that the statement or record is ‘Nil’ may be put in the cover and the total number of five covers made ready so that no necessity arises for the receiving official at the receiving centre to enquire about the non- production of any of the sealed covers to be received by him.

The second packet (coloured YELLOW) should contain the following covers and should be superscripted as “NON-STATUTORY COVERS”:

1. The cover containing the copy or copies of electoral roll (other than the marked copy);
2. The cover containing the appointment letters of polling agents in Form 10;
3. The cover containing the election duty certificates in Form 12- B;
4. The sealed cover containing the list of challenged votes in Form14;
5. The cover containing the list of blind and infirm electors in Form14-A and the declarations of The companions;
6. The cover containing the declarations obtained from electors as to their age and the list of such electors;
7. cover containing the receipt book and cash, if any, in respect of challenged votes;
8. cover containing unused and damaged paper seals;
9. cover containing unused voter’s slips;
10. cover containing unused and damaged special tags; and
11. cover containing unused and damaged strip seals.

The third packet (coloured BROWN) should contain the following items:

1. The Handbook for Presiding Officer;
2. Manual of Electronic Voting Machine and VVPAT;
3. Indelible ink set (with stopper having been secured on each phial effectively with molten candleorwax applied thereon to prevent leakage orevaporation);
4. self-inking pads;
5. the metal seal of the Presiding Officer;
6. the arrow cross-mark rubber stamp for marking tendered ballot papers;
7. Cup for setting the indelible ink.

All the other items, if any, should be packed into the Fourth packet (coloured Blue).

Sealing of Covers

Each of the five smaller covers/packets to be included in the first packet marked “STATUTORY COVERS” should be sealed. The other smaller covers/packets containing various non-statutory papers and items of election materials to be included in the second, third and fourth packets marked “NON- STATUTORY COVERS” may be prepared separately but need not be sealed (except the cover containing the list of challenged votes in Form 14) in order to save time. All these unsealed covers and the sealed cover, containing list of challenged votes in Form 14, should simply be placed in the respective bigger covers along with a check memo signed by you. These three bigger packets need not be sealed; but may be properly secured by means of pins or thread so that the contents may be checked at the collection centres. The first packet marked “Statutory Covers” should, however, be sealed by you after checking of the contents at the collection centre.

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