Polling Agent in Pakistan: How to Be Appointed, Your 6 Rights and the Form 45 Copy You Must Get
Polling agent in Pakistan: who appoints one, how many per station, the Rs 100 voter challenge, watching the count, and the signed Form 45 and 46 copies you get.
A polling agent in Pakistan is a candidate's representative inside a polling station. The candidate or election agent appoints them in writing to the Presiding Officer, before or during the poll, with no more agents per station than the number of booths. Agents can watch the empty ballot box being sealed, challenge a suspect voter for Rs 100, watch the count, and must get a signed copy of Form 45.
The NA-77 Gujranwala-I and PP-203 Sahiwal-VI by-elections poll on Sunday 8 November 2026. Each of the 18 candidates can place agents at every station. Many of those agents will be first-timers, sent by a cousin or a local worker with a slip of paper and little else.
We read the parts of the Elections Act, 2017 and the Election Rules, 2017 that deal with agents, as published by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). This guide lists what an agent can do, what they cannot do, and what to take home at the end of the day.
Election agents and polling agents are two different jobs
An election agent works for the candidate across the whole constituency. A polling agent works at one polling station. People mix them up, but the law treats them differently.
| Point | Election agent | Polling agent |
|---|---|---|
| Law | Section 76 | Section 77 and Rule 58 |
| How many | Up to 3 per candidate | Up to the number of booths at each station |
| Who can be one | A voter of the constituency | The Act sets no voter condition |
| Notice goes to | Returning Officer | Presiding Officer of the station |
| At consolidation | Only 1 may attend | Not part of consolidation |
The Returning Officer runs the election for the whole constituency. The Presiding Officer runs one polling station. If a candidate appoints no election agent, the candidate counts as their own election agent.
Appoint a polling agent in four steps
The Act asks for a written notice, and nothing more complex. Here is the order that works.
- The candidate or the election agent picks the person for each station.
- Write a notice of appointment naming the agent and the polling station, signed by the candidate or election agent.
- Give the notice to the Presiding Officer, before polling starts or during the poll.
- The agent carries the original CNIC and stays in the station during the poll.
Rule 58 caps the number. A candidate's agents at a station cannot be more than the booths set up there. A station with three booths can have three agents per candidate, one at each booth.
An appointment can be cancelled at any time, in writing. A new agent can then be named with a fresh notice to the Presiding Officer.
Before polling starts, the agent checks the empty ballot box
Section 78 is the agent's first job of the day. Before polling begins, the Presiding Officer must show every ballot box empty to the candidates and agents present. Their statements are recorded on a form, and they sign it.
The Presiding Officer then seals the box with an official seal. Agents who want to can add their own seal. The box must sit where agents can see it all day. When a box is full, it is sealed the same way and a new one is shown empty.
During the poll, an agent can challenge a voter for Rs 100
Section 86 lets a polling agent challenge a voter. The agent must tell the Presiding Officer they have reasonable cause to believe the person has already voted, or is not the person on the roll. The agent then promises to prove it in court and deposits Rs 100 in cash.
The voter still gets a ballot, called a Challenged Ballot Paper. It goes in a separate packet and is still counted. The challenge creates a record that can be used later.
Section 84 adds one more right. If an agent says a voter already has a ballot paper in hand, the Presiding Officer can ask the voter to prove otherwise and take steps to stop a second paper going in.
What an agent cannot do matters as much. An agent cannot campaign inside the station or within 400 metres of it. An agent cannot see how anyone voted. Our list of election offences and penalties covers the limits.
At the count, one agent per candidate watches and signs
Section 90 says the Presiding Officer counts the votes right after the poll closes, in front of the candidates and agents present. Rule 80 adds a limit. If a candidate had agents at several booths, they must pick one of them to watch the count.
That agent signs the Result of the Count and the Ballot Paper Account. If the agent refuses to sign, the Presiding Officer writes that down. The agent can also sign and seal the packets of ballot papers.
Take home Form 45 and Form 46, signed and stamped
This is the most important right. Section 90(13) says the Presiding Officer must give a copy of the Result of the Count and the Ballot Paper Account to each agent present. The copy must be signed, stamped and thumb marked by the Presiding Officer and the senior Assistant Presiding Officer. The agent signs a receipt.
Rule 81 names the forms. The Result of the Count is Form 45. The Ballot Paper Account is Form 46. A copy of each is also pasted outside the station for the public. Our guide to Forms 45, 47 and 49 explains how to read them and match them to the final result.
Take a clear photo of both forms on your own phone after you receive them. That is the record a candidate needs if the final numbers do not match. If the Presiding Officer refuses to hand over a copy, report it at once to the ECP control centre helpline.
Common questions
How many polling agents can a candidate appoint at one station?
No more than the number of booths at that station, under Rule 58 of the Election Rules, 2017.
Who appoints a polling agent?
The contesting candidate or the candidate's election agent, by written notice to the Presiding Officer, under Section 77.
Does a polling agent get a copy of Form 45?
Yes. Section 90(13) says the Presiding Officer must give each agent present a signed and stamped copy of the Result of the Count and the Ballot Paper Account.
How much does it cost to challenge a voter?
Rs 100 in cash, deposited with the Presiding Officer, under Section 86.
Can a polling agent stay for the count?
Yes, but if a candidate had agents at several booths, only one of them, chosen by the agents, watches the count under Rule 80.
Can a polling agent be changed during the day?
Yes. The appointment can be cancelled in writing and a new agent named with a notice to the Presiding Officer.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 7 November 2026. We read sections 76 to 90 of the Elections Act, 2017 (updated to 5 August 2023) and Rules 58, 80 and 81 of the Election Rules, 2017 (updated to 31 December 2023), both on the ECP election laws page.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
