Do not write your name or any word. Do not put your signature or any initials or even thumb impression.

These instructions are not for students but form a list of specific dos and don'ts for MPs and MLAs voting in the Presidential election.

The Election Commission has made it clear that the electors mark the ballot paper only with the pen which would be officially supplied for the purpose.

"Do not use any other pen or your own pen," says the EC instructions cautioning that doing so may invalidate the ballot paper.

Asking the electors not to put 'tick' mark or 'cross' mark to indicate their preferences, the Commission said such ballot papers would be rejected.

Preferences shall be indicated in figures and not in words.

While indicating the first preference against any one candidate is mandatory, the other preferences are 'optional', it said.