EC raises poll duty pay: Presiding officers to get Rs 500/day, micro-observers Rs 2,000, tiffin allowance hiked to Rs 500

The Election Commission of India has significantly increased remuneration for presiding officers, polling personnel, counting staff, micro-observers and other officials engaged in election duties ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls in five states.

According to an official, the revised compensation structure is aimed at ensuring adequate pay and incentivising personnel who work long and demanding hours during the election process. Assembly elections are scheduled to be held next month in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry.

Under the revised rates, presiding officers will now receive Rs 500 per day, up from Rs 350 earlier, or a total of Rs 2,000 for the entire assignment. Polling officers’ daily allowance has been increased from Rs 250 to Rs 400, with a one-time payment of Rs 1,600.

Counting assistants will now be paid Rs 450 per day, compared to Rs 250 earlier, or Rs 1,350 as a one-time payment. Fourth-class staff deployed at polling stations will receive Rs 350 per day, up from Rs 200, amounting to Rs 1,400 for the assignment. Staff working in call centres or control rooms will now get a one-time allowance of Rs 1,000.

The hike also covers support teams such as those involved in video surveillance, video monitoring, accounting control rooms and call centre operations. For Class I and II officials, the one-time remuneration has been increased to Rs 2,000 from Rs 1,200 earlier, while for certain Class I staff it has doubled from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000.

Micro-observers will now receive Rs 2,000 as a one-time payment, up from Rs 1,000 previously. Additionally, daily tiffin allowances for polling staff, police personnel, mobile teams and home guards have been raised sharply from Rs 150 to Rs 500.

Senior officials have also been included in the revised pay structure. Deputy District Election Officers will now be entitled to at least one month’s basic pay as honorarium. For Central Armed Police Forces personnel, gazetted officers serving up to 15 days will receive Rs 4,000 instead of Rs 2,500, while for longer deployments they will get Rs 2,000 per week, up from Rs 1,250.

Inspectors, sub-inspectors, assistant sub-inspectors and equivalent ranks will receive Rs 3,000 for duties up to 15 days and Rs 1,500 per week for extended assignments, compared to the earlier Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 respectively.

Officials said the enhanced remuneration reflects the Commission’s recognition of the critical role played by election personnel in ensuring smooth and fair conduct of polls.