apsec.gov.in MPTC / ZPTC Election Method Of Voting : Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission

Organisation : Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission
Facility : Method Of Voting

Method Of Voting : https://www.electionin.in/uploads/924-Hand%20Book%20for%20Contesting%20Candidates%20for%20ZPs.pdf
Home Page : https://sec.ap.gov.in/homepage.do

Related: APSEC MPTC / ZPTC Election Counting Of Votes : www.electionin.in/927.html

Method Of Voting :

Under this system, the following arrangements will be made, namely:
(a) a ballot box common for MPTC and ZPTC polled ballot paper will be placed in front of one of the Polling Officers at the entrance to the voting compartments so that it will be visible to every person;

The method of voting now followed is called the “Marking System of Voting”.

(b) only one box will be used at any point of time;

(c) the ballot paper will contain the names of all the contesting candidates showing the symbols allotted to each.

(d) after the name of the elector is traced in the electoral roll by the Polling Officer(s), his left forefinger will be marked with indelible ink. His signature of thumb impression will then be taken on the counterfoil of the ballot paper. No ballot paper will be delivered to him unless he has put his signature or thumb impression on the counterfoil of the ballot paper. If he puts his thumb impression on the counterfoil of the ballot paper, he should clean his thumb with the help of a piece of wet cloth or rag provided on the table of the Polling Officer. This will be necessary to avoid any possible smudge on the ballot paper while handling the ballot paper. Thereafter he will be given the ballot paper. With the ballot paper the elector will proceed to the next table. The Polling Officer will take back the ballot paper and fold it twice, first vertically and then horizontally. He will then return the folded ballot paper together with an inked rubber stamp for marking the ballot paper;

(e) there will be one or more than one voting compartment in which or in any one of which the voter can secretly record his vote on the ballot paper;

(f) the voter will record his vote by stamping a mark on the ballot paper with the rubber stamps supplied to him by one of the Polling Officers. The mark should be made on or near the symbol of the candidate for whom the elector wishes to vote;

(g) after stamping the ballot paper, the voter should fold the ballot paper along the folds already appearing on the ballot paper so that his vote and the serial number of his ballot paper are effectively concealed. He should do this inside the voting compartment and thereafter come out the voting compartment and insert the folded ballot paper into the ballot box mentioned at (a);

(h) in case the election is held simultaneously to the ZPTC and MPTC, every elector will be given two ballot papers-one for the ZPTC election and the other for the MPTC election. These will be distinguishable by the colour-white for ZPTC and pink for MPTC. The ballot papers will be issued one at a time. The elector will follow the same procedure as described above for marking his ballot papers and will drop both the ballot papers in the same ballot box; and

(i) If any elector violates the voting procedure described above and shows his marked ballot paper to any one or otherwise violates the secrecy of his vote in spite of a warning by the Presiding Officer such selector shall not be allowed to vote and his ballot paper will be taken back and cancelled by the Presiding Officer.

DESIGN OF BALLOT PAPERS :

Every ballot paper will have a counterfoil attached with it. In the counterfoil there will be provision for electoral part number of the elector being entered and for taking his signature or thumb impression. The ballot paper will be separated from its counterfoil by a thick block of lines. The ballot paper will contain the names of all the contesting candidates and the symbols allotted to them. The names of the candidates will be classified into four (4) categories, namely,
(i) candidates of recognized National and State Parties,
(ii) candidates of registered political parties with a reserved symbol,
(iii) candidates of registered political parties without a reserved symbol and

(iv) independent candidates. Further these names will be arranged in alphabetical order in each of the above mentioned four categories. Their names will appear in panels one below the other and their symbols shall be printed against their names in their respective panels. The width of the ballot paper including the counterfoil shall be between 3 and 4 inches and each candidate’s panel shall be a little more than 1 inch.

Where however, the number of contesting candidates exceed 9, the ballot paper will be printed differently. The ballot paper will in such a case be printed in two or more columns depending upon the number of contesting candidates. Normally there will be 9 candidates in each column. Where the number of candidates is not divisible to be equal in each column, the last blank panels in the last column will be completely shaded.

DISTINGUISHING MARKS ON BALLOT PAPERS :
Under Rule 45 of Panchayat Raj (Conduct of Election) Rules, 2006 issued in G.O.Ms.No.142, PR & RD (Elecs & Rules) Department, dated 3.05.2006, before a ballot paper is issued to an elector, the ballot paper and the counterfoil attached thereto shall be stamped on the back with such distinguishing mark as the State Election Commission may direct. The State Election Commission, directed that the distinguishing mark to be stamped on the back side of the ballot papers to be used in elections to Member, Mandal Praja Parishad and Member, Zilla Praja Parishad shall be a fraction within a circle whose numerator will be the number of the Mandal Praja Parishad and the denominator will be the serial number of the polling station concerned as indicated in the final list of polling stations approved by the District Election Authority.

The number of Mandal Praja Parishad shall be the code number assigned by the District Election Authority concerned while working out the nomenclature of the Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency as per the instructions issued in Govt. Memo.No.66402/Elecs.I/1994, PR, RD & Relief Department dated 03.01.1995.

Illustration:
If the code number of a Mandal Praja Parishad is 8 and the code number of the polling station is 12, the distinguishing mark to be stamped on the ballot papers to be used at the polling station shall be 8