Returning Officer

In India, the voting is based on the secret ballot system. This means that the voters are allowed to cast their votes without any interference from anyone. The returning officer’s duty is to announce the candidates’ names and let the people know where they can go to vote. This is called a declaration of nomination. The duties of a returning officer is to provide a polling station in each area with a high number of voters. They are expected to set up polling booths with secrecy screens, tables, chairs for poll officials, ballot boxes, etc. This article will learn about the importance of returning officers, the Duties of a Returning Officer, the Definition of Returning Officers, and How  Select Returning Officers conduct elections.

Definition of Returning Officers

The ROs are appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Usually, a government official holds an important position in the government or at a state level (such as an IAS officer or District Magistrate). Some private individuals have been selected, but not very often as they don’t have enough experience with this kind of work. The importance of returning officers is to guide the election process in the constituency. The Election Commission appoints a returning officer for each Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) constituency and each state legislative assembly constituency.

Duties of a Returning Officer

The role of a returning officer is an important one as he/she performs several crucial tasks regarding the conduct of elections in India. Let’s take a look at these functions. First, the RO has to be appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Next, they are responsible for elections and must ensure that all aspects such as voter registration, security measures, and distribution of material are carried out properly. Returning officers also declare results after counting votes which can be done with manual methods or electronic ones depending on what’s required in each case where applicable technology exists.

The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) prepares the electoral rolls, which are completed by the Booth Level Officers (BLOs), and assigns polling stations under the direction of the District Election Officer (DEO).

The BLOs visit each household and enlist new voters, delete names of those who have shifted or died, and make corrections in names and other particulars. After a summary revision of the electoral rolls, they are finally published by EROs. The final electoral rolls are also available online on National Voters’ Services Portal.

The Returning Officer (RO) is appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for each Parliamentary and Assembly Constituency. 

Candidates contesting elections in any parliamentary or assembly constituency can file their nominations with the returning officer of that constituency. The returning officer scrutinises all nomination papers and allocates symbols to candidates. He also sets up polling stations, makes arrangements for polling staff, ballot boxes, and electoral rolls, and ensures that voting takes place smoothly on the day of the poll.

After voting ends, it is the responsibility of the returning officer to count votes in his jurisdiction and declare the results. He must also ensure that proper records are maintained throughout the election process to do counting fairly if there is a dispute over results.

How to select returning officer

To determine which nominee is best suited for the position of returning officer, please consider some of the following questions:

• Does this person have any experience as a returning officer?

• Does this person possess excellent organisational skills?

• Is this person well-connected within their local community?

• Does this person have a deep understanding of the technical aspects of the voting process?

What is the tenure of a returning officer?

• Returning officers are appointed for a fixed term of three years. The returning officer’s appointment is renewable for an additional three-year term.

• The returning officer is the most important person you will see at the polls. He or she is responsible for all phases of the election process, from pre-election planning to post-election reporting. As such, selecting a returning officer can seem like a daunting task. It’s helpful to keep in mind that a good returning officer will have several characteristics in common:

• A returning officer is an individual their local government appoints to supervise and administer elections in their community.

Conclusion

The Returning Officer is usually a senior officer from the IAS, IFS, and some State Service cadres. The ECI appoints the Returning Officer for each Parliamentary and Assembly Constituency. The RO is responsible for conducting the election in his or her constituency and ensuring that the Code of Conduct is adhered to by parties and candidates. The RO is also responsible for the smooth conduct of elections in that constituency. In this article, I learned the importance of returning officers, the Duties of a Returning Officer, the Definition of Returning Officers, and How to Select Returning officers to conduct elections.