Handbook for Electoral Registration Officers - Election Commission ...

the preparation and revision of the Electoral rolls.5. Assistant Electoral Registration OfficersSection 13C of the Representation of the People Act provides for the appointment of oneor more persons as Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AERO) to assist theElectoral Registration Officers in the performance of their functions. The AssistantElectoral Registration Officers are competent to perform all the functions of the ElectoralRegistration Officers subject to the control of the Electoral Registration Officer.6. Appellate Officers6.1 During the process of preparation or revision of electoral roll, an appealshall lie from any decision of the Electoral Registration Officer, under rules 20, 21, or21A of the RER, 1960 to such officer of the Government as the Election Commissionmay designate in this behalf under Rule 23 of RER, 1960. The DeputyCommissioner/District Magistrates/District Collectors/District Election Officers arenormally appointed as the Appellate Officers.6.2 During the period of continuous updation of the roll, an appeal against anyorder of the Electoral Registration Officer, under Section 22 or 23 of the Representationof the People Act, 1950 shall lie before the DM/ADM/Executive Magistrate/DistrictCollector / District Election Officer and a further appeal against the order of the firstAppellate Authority will lie before the Chief Electoral Officer of the concernedState/UT..7. Designated OfficersIn addition to the above statutory appointments, required numbers of Designated Officersare also appointed by the concerned ERO under Rule 14 of the R.E. Rules, 1960 duringthe revision process. The Designated Officer displays the electoral roll parts and receivesclaims and objections. He also distributes Form 6, 6A,7, 8, 8A to the eligible person ondemand.8. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Supervisors:8.1 BLOs and Supervisors are serving ( officers of the Government or Local Bodies.They are appointed by the ERO after obtaining approval of the DEO. They are appointedunder Section 13 B (2) of the RPA, 1950 for revision of rolls.8.2 Each BLO shall have one Polling Station area under his/her jurisdiction. WherePolling Stations are set up separately for males and females of a particular polling area,then one BLO only be appointed for those two Polling Stations (i.e. same polling area).Similarly, only one BLO be appointed for a Polling Station and its auxiliary PollingStation. In difficult geographical areas, BLOs can be appointed for a group of sections.Such Polling Station, may therefore, have more than one BLOs. Since BLOs are only bepart time workers for election duty during their off-duty hours or on holidays/vacations,t h e g o v e r n m e n t e m p l o y e e s a l r e a d y working or residing in the area allottedto them should be normally appointed .Central government employees should be draftedonly after exhausting the other options . Group ‘A’ and ‘B’ officers of central government11