📘 Maharashtra State Board – Standard VIII

Chapter 10 – Field Visit

Visit to the Elections Division Office (Taluka / District Level)

📝 Questionnaire

Q1. Visit to the elections division’s office at the taluka and district level and write answers to the questionnaire:

(1) Name of the office.

Ans: District Election Office / Taluka Election Office.

(2) What is the designation of the chief at this office?

Ans: The chief officer is the District Election Officer (usually the District Collector) at the district level and the Tahsildar or Assistant Election Officer at the taluka level.

(3) What are the different duties performed by this office?

Ans:

Preparing and updating electoral rolls.
Conducting elections smoothly and fairly.
Arranging polling stations and voting machines.
Training election staff.
Announcing election results.

(4) Who directs the work carried out in the election division?

Ans: The work is directed by the Election Commission of India through the Chief Electoral Officer of the State.

(5) Which are the various elections conducted through this office?

Ans:

Lok Sabha elections
Vidhan Sabha elections
Local body elections (Municipal Corporation, Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, Gram Panchayat)

(6) From where do they get the additional manpower required during the election?

Ans: Additional manpower is taken from government departments, schools, colleges, banks, and other public offices.

(7) How many days prior to election is the notice given?

Ans: The election notification is usually issued a few weeks before the election date, as per the Election Commission’s schedule.

(8) Who does the work of enlisting new voters and updating the electoral lists?

Ans: Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and election staff carry out this work.

(9) Who conducts the training programmes for the elections?

Ans: Training programmes are conducted by the District Election Officer and trained master trainers.

(10) Which licenses are issued by the office during elections?

Ans: Permissions and licenses for public meetings, rallies, loudspeakers, and campaign activities are issued during elections.

(11) How many people are appointed at the polling centre during voting?

Ans: Usually, one Presiding Officer and three to four Polling Officers are appointed at each polling centre.

(12) When is the voting of officials appointed for election duty taken? How?

Ans: Officials appointed for election duty vote through postal ballots before the actual election day.

(13) What are the timings of the voting?

Ans: Voting usually takes place from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (timings may vary slightly as per instructions).

(14) Is the timing of voting extended under special circumstances?

Ans: Yes, voting time may be extended in special situations such as long queues or technical issues.

(15) What efforts are taken to make the process of voting transparent?

Ans:

Use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPAT.
Presence of polling agents.
CCTV surveillance at sensitive booths.
Strict security arrangements.

(16) Tell the advantages/disadvantages of voting machines (EVM).

Ans:

Advantages:

Quick counting of votes.
Reduces chances of invalid votes.
Saves paper and time.

Disadvantages:

Technical faults may occur.
Some people may doubt transparency.

(17) How are voting machines obtained?

Ans: Voting machines are supplied by authorised government agencies under the Election Commission of India.

(18) Since when are the voting machines being used?

Ans: Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been used in India since the late 1990s and widely since 2004.

(19) What action needs to be taken if the voting machine becomes faulty?

Ans: The machine is immediately replaced with a reserve machine, and the issue is reported to higher authorities.

(20) How was voting conducted earlier?

Ans: Earlier, voting was conducted using ballot papers and ballot boxes.

(21) The Code of Conduct is applicable for how many days before and after the elections?

Ans: The Model Code of Conduct comes into effect from the date of announcement of elections and remains until the declaration of results.

(22) Which departments do you seek help from to conduct the elections?

Ans:

Police Department
Education Department
Revenue Department
Transport Department
Health Department

(23) In which circumstances are by-elections held?

Ans: By-elections are held when a seat becomes vacant due to death, resignation, or disqualification of a member.

(24) What do you do if the candidates get equal votes?

Ans: If candidates receive equal votes, the winner is decided by drawing lots, as per election rules.

(25) Who declares the end result of the election in public?

Ans: The Returning Officer officially declares the result.

(26) Does the office maintain records of the earlier elections?

Ans: Yes, the office maintains detailed records of previous elections.

(27) Do you issue certificates to the elected candidates? Who signs these certificates?

Ans: Yes, certificates are issued to elected candidates. They are signed by the Returning Officer.

📄 Report Writing

Q2. After you collect information from the office you visited, you have to write a report.

Write a report as per the following points.

Report on Visit to the Election Office

(1) Introduction

Our class visited the District Election Office to understand how elections are conducted. The visit helped us learn about the election process and the responsibilities of the office.

(2) Personnel Working in the Office

The office is headed by the District Election Officer. Other staff members include Assistant Election Officers, clerks, Booth Level Officers, and supporting staff.

(3) Nature of Work in the Office

The office prepares voter lists, conducts elections, arranges polling stations, trains staff, ensures security, and declares results. It works under the guidance of the Election Commission of India.

(4) Problems Encountered / Solutions

Some challenges include managing large crowds, technical faults in EVMs, and maintaining law and order. These problems are solved through proper planning, training, and security arrangements.

(5) Acknowledgement

We sincerely thank the officers and staff of the Election Office for guiding us and providing valuable information during our visit.

(6) List of References

Information collected during the field visit
Discussion with Election Office staff
Election Commission of India website