Finance
The revised remuneration for presiding officers, polling officers, counting staff, and other election-related workers has been updated by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
A Presiding Officer or Counting Supervisor who previously received Rs 350 per day (or a portion of it) would now receive Rs 500 per day or Rs 2,000 in one lump payment in accordance with the new rates.
Previously paid Rs 250 per day, polling officers would now receive Rs 400 per day or Rs 1,600 in one big sum.
Previously paid Rs 250 per day, counting assistants will now receive Rs 450 per day or Rs 1,350 in one flat sum.
Additionally, Deputy District Election Officers’ (Dy DEOs’) honoraria have been updated. They will now get at least one month’s worth of the concerned officer’s base salary.
For deployments shorter than 15 days, the pay for CAPF Gazetted Officers, which includes Commandants, Ad hoc Commandants, Deputy Commandants, Assistant Commandants, Medical Officers, and similar ranks, has been set at Rs 4,000. For deployments longer than 15 days, the honorarium is Rs 2,000 per week.
As a result, CAPFs’ lower-level employees now receive higher pay.
The honorarium for sector officers and other authorities engaged in polling operations will also be raised.
Additionally, the ECI has fixed Rs 500 per day towards packed lunch and light refreshments for polling personnel, police personnel, mobile parties, Home Guards, Forest Guards, Gram Rakshak Dal, NCC cadets, ex-servicemen, and volunteers deployed at polling stations and counting centres.
In a statement, the ECI said, “Conduct of elections involves diverse activities carried out by an election machinery consisting of officials and staff requisitioned from various departments of the Central Government, State Governments, PSUs, Local Authorities, etc.”
It added, “During the election period, the entire machinery performs arduous and sensitive duties, often working long hours for several months to ensure a conducive environment in which electors can exercise their franchise freely. To ensure suitable compensation for such efforts, the Commission has revised the remuneration/honorarium rates.”
The last major revision in election duty remuneration was carried out between 2014 and 2016.
Source: IANS
