Election Commission revises remuneration of poll officers

Punjab chief electoral officer Sibin C says EC has also enhanced honorarium for deputy district electoral officers (DEOs) and central armed police force (CAPF) personnel

The Election Commission of India (EC) has enhanced the remuneration for presiding and polling officers, counting personnel, micro-observers, and other officials.

The last such major revision of remuneration/honorarium was done between 2014 and 2016. (HT Photo)

Announcing this, Punjab chief electoral officer Sibin C said that the EC has also enhanced the honorarium for deputy district electoral officers (DEOs), central armed police forces (CAPF) personnel and sector officers.

He said the conduct of elections involves diverse activities carried out by an election machinery consisting of officials and staff requisitioned from various departments of the central and state governments, public sector undertakings, local authorities, etc.

“During the election period, the entire machinery, deployed on the ground, performs arduous and sensitive duties, which extend for long hours and even continue for months, so as to ensure a conducive environment wherein electors are able to exercise their franchise,” he said in a statement.

The last such major revision of remuneration/honorarium was done between 2014 and 2016.

According to the new rates, the remuneration for the presiding officer and counting supervisor has been increased from ₹350 a day or part thereof to ₹500 daily or ₹2,000 lump sum; polling officer from ₹250 to ₹400 a day or part thereof or ₹1,600 lump sum; counting assistant from ₹250 to ₹450 a day or part thereof or ₹1,350 lump sum; Class-IV employees for various duties from ₹200 to ₹350 a day or part thereof or ₹1,400 lump sum; and for micro observer doubled to ₹2,000 lump sum.

While deputy DEOs will now get honorarium of not less than their basic pay of one month, the honorarium for gazetted officers of CAPFs (commandant, ad hoc commandant, deputy commandant, assistant commandant, medical officer and other equivalent ranks) on poll duty has been hiked from ₹2,500 to ₹4,000 for 15 days or less and from ₹1,250 a week to ₹2,000 weekly for more than 15 days.

For other ranks of CAPF, such as head constable, constable and equivalent ranks, the honorarium has been revised to ₹2,500 for 15 days or less and ₹1,250 a week for more than 15 days of duty. Assistant expenditure observer, section officer, and sector police officer will now get ₹10,000 for full-time election duty or on a pro-rata basis instead of ₹7,500.