Appointment of Presiding Officer and Polling Officers

(1) The District Election Authority or any other officer authorized by him shall appoint a Presiding Officer for each polling station and such other polling officers as he deems necessary, but he shall not appoint any person who has been appointed by or on behalf of a candidate in relation to the election or who is otherwise working for the candidate: Provided that if any polling officer remains absent, the Presiding Officer may appoint any person present at the polling station, other than a person employed by or on behalf of the candidate or working otherwise in relation to the election, as a polling officer and shall inform the Returning Officer accordingly. Provided further that any polling personnel appointed to conduct polling for members and President of the Management Committee of the Water Users Association or any other officer duly authorized by him under this rule can also conduct polling for any other election post which is to be conducted simultaneously. (2) Every polling officer shall, if so directed by the Presiding Officer, perform all or any of the duties of the Presiding Officer under these rules. (3) If any Presiding Officer is absent from the polling station due to illness or unavoidable reasons, his duties shall be performed by such polling officer as has been authorized by the Returning Officer to perform the duties during such absence. (4) It shall be the general duty of the Presiding Officer to maintain public order at the polling station and ensure that the polling is conducted fairly.