Mixed Polling Party: To conduct the 2026 assembly elections smoothly and manage the shortage of polling personnel, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal has issued a set of new guidelines. These directives mandate the formation of Mixed Polling Parties and assign specific new duties to Booth Level Officers (BLO), completely removing them from indoor booth duties.
Table of Contents
Formation of Mixed Polling Parties
District Election Officers (DEO) have been granted the authority to form mixed polling parties if there is a shortfall in standard manpower.
- Male-Female Coordination: A single polling team can now consist of both male and female personnel working together.
- Flexible Appointments: This mixed deployment applies to all ranks, from Presiding Officer to the First, Second, or Third Polling Officers.
- Departmental Balance: When appointing Presiding and First Polling Officers, DEOs must maintain a proper ratio between Central and State Government employees.
Security for Women Personnel
The Election Commission has laid strict ground rules to ensure the safety of female polling staff.
- All-Women Polling Stations: Any booth managed entirely by female staff must be guarded by women Central Armed Police Forces or armed state police.
- Adequate Infrastructure: For mixed polling parties, authorities must guarantee proper security arrangements and basic minimum facilities for women employees.
Reassigned Duties for BLOs
BLOs will no longer be included in the general polling personnel database. They cannot be assigned as Presiding or Polling Officers inside the booth.
- Voter Assistance Booth (VAB): BLOs will be stationed at the VAB set up just outside the main polling station.
- Managing Mobile Phones: As a crucial new responsibility, BLOs will oversee the collection and safekeeping of voters’ mobile phones, as carrying phones inside the booth remains strictly prohibited.
- Assisting Voters: Their primary job will be guiding voters and helping them find their names on the electoral roll.
Other Important Guidelines
According to the directives, the Second Edition Presiding Officer Handbook of 2023 will remain the standard reference for polling duty procedures. If unavailable beforehand, personnel can collect it from the Distribution Centre (DC) a day before the poll. This ensures no confusion over EVM and VVPAT handling protocols.
Impact on Government Employees
These procedural changes bring significant practical shifts for state personnel on election duty:
- Relief for Presiding Officers: With BLOs managing mobile phones outside, Presiding Officers will face fewer arguments and disruptions inside the voting compartment.
- Draft Probability: Since BLOs are excluded from inside duties, regular state government employees might face a higher probability of being drafted to fill the polling personnel gaps.
- Enhanced Security Confidence: Mandatory armed forces for female booths and improved infrastructure directives will reduce the anxiety typically associated with election duty among female staff.
- Familiar Guidelines: Polling officials will rely on the familiar 2023 handbook, meaning experienced personnel will not have to undergo the hassle of learning entirely new core procedures for Mock Polls or machine sealing.
- Collaborative Operations: Mixed Polling Parties will foster better coordination among employees from various departments, making the overall election management more organized.
Source: Chief Electoral Officer Guidelines
