You would have heard of Form-45 a lot, particularly after General Elections 2024. There’s an equally important yet less talked about election form i.e. Form-46. Let’s delve deeper into it and understand what semblance does it hold for free, fair and honest elections.

What is this form?

Officially titled “Ballot Paper Account,” it is the 46th Form in the Election Rules, 2017. Form-46 tells the story of every ballot paper including those that made to the ballot box, or were spoilt, or remained unused.

Who prepares and signs Form-46?

Like Form-45, Form-46 is officialized by the signatures of the Presiding Officer and the Senior-Most Assistant Presiding Officer at the polling station. They sign it with their names and official designations. Additionally, polling agents of the candidates, and accredited observers present at the polling station are invited to sign and record their names and party or organizational affiliation.

What is the Purpose of Form-46?

The main purpose of Form 46 is to account for ballot papers that were provided to a polling station for an election. Every polling station is provided with a cheque book like ballot books. Each book has 100 leaves or ballots. Each polling station gets as many ballots as to the next 100 of the total number of registered voters there. For instance, if there are 638 voters registered to vote at a polling station, it’ll get 700 ballots or seven ballot books.

Each ballot must be accounted for by the end of polling. So, Form-46 contains boxes to enter the count of:

  • Ballot papers received for use at the polling station
  • Un-issued ballot papers;
  • Ballot papers taken out of the ballot box or boxes and counted; and
  • Ballot papers taken out from other packets like Tendered Ballots Packet, Challenged Ballots Packet and Stray, Spoilt and Cancelled Ballots Packet.

This way it creates a paper trail for transparency that can be cross-checked with Form-45 to see if the legal formalities on both Forms match.

There have been instances where legal formalities on both Forms don’t match. According to FAFEN’s assessment of result forms of 2018 General Elections, the signatures of the authorized election staff at nearly two percent Form-45 did not match with the details of corresponding Form-46.

How many copies are prepared, and who may get one?

A separate Form-46 is prepared for each election. Its copies are provided to:

  • The Returning Officer (in charge of the election process in the constituency).
  • The District Election Commissioner (ECP’s representative in the district).
  • Each candidate or their election/polling agent present at the polling station.
  • Each accredited observer present at the polling station.

The Presiding Officer keeps one copy for the record and must also affix one prominently outside the polling station for public viewing.

What can you do?

Next time there’s an election in your constituency, you can:

  • After casting your ballot, remind the Presiding Officer to paste Form-46 outside the polling station building.
  • Note your polling station name and number. It is usually written on a chart outside and inside the polling station building.
  • Look for the Form-46 outside the polling station building.
  • Take a clear photo of the pasted Form-46 for your record.