The Election Commission in an effort to keep the Lok Sabha election free and fair has directed that 50 per cent of presiding officers and polling officers in every district should be from outside.

"Since the duties discharged by the polling personnel are vital in the conduct of elections, sufficient care is needed to draft and deploy such personnel in the interest of free and fair elections," the EC said.

It has asked the Chief Election Officers to draw up a suitable plan and finalise the groups of districts from where the presiding and polling officers will be drawn.

The presiding officers should ideally be gazetted officers, if not officers working in supervisory capacity will fill up the vacant posts.

No women officer, however, shall be posted on polling duty outside her district of posting.