Dimapur, Feb. 17 (EMN): To ensure free and fair election, the State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has informed that Close Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance would be installed in the polling stations across the State with either webcasting or offline videography.
Informing this in a press release, the Chief Electoral Officer, Abhijit Sinha, informed that additional manpower for webcasting has been identified by the DEOs specifically for this purpose known as operator. The operator would however be under the overall supervision of the presiding officer and the 1st polling official, who have been given hands-on training on the various aspect of webcasting. On the day of poll, the proceedings in the polling booth would be monitored by the respective RO/ DEO and the CEO.
The CEO stated that webcasting system would be installed one day prior to the day of poll at the polling station after the polling parties reach the location and the system checked. He stated that camera would be mounted at sufficient height and be appropriately secured from physical damage. The camera would be so placed to cover the maximum possible area in the polling station without hampering the secrecy of vote.
The release also mentioned that webcasting would clearly capture and transmit the following aspects of the poll proceedings such as - the mock poll, process of identification of voter by polling officer, application of indelible ink on the finger of the voter, initialisation of control unit of EVM by presiding officer after satisfactory identification of voter, voter’s visit to voting compartment for casting vote on the balloting unit of EVM but without showing cover face of ballot unit/ VVPAT so that the voter’s secrecy is preserved under all conditions and clear beep sound after press of the button, presence of polling agents to the possible extent at the time of closing of poll, distribution of slips/ tokens to the voters in queue and sealing of EVM (BU/CU), VVPAT and giving copies of Form 17C to polling agents.
ECI satisfy with poll preparedness
Election Commission of India (ECI) has expressed satisfaction to note that sufficient number of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) were available for taking the poll in the assembly constituencies of Nagaland. Besides, it noted with satisfaction that the polling personnel were well trained in handling the EVMs and VVPAT.
The Commission has specified that all the votes for the forthcoming general elections to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly would be recorded by means of EVMs and the VVPAT printers in the manner prescribed under the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, and the supplementary instructions issued by the Commission from time to time on the subject.
The notification also stated that the Commission has approved the design of the EVM and the VVPAT printer as developed by the Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore, and the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad, to be used for giving and recording of votes in the assembly constituencies.
This was stated in a notification issued by the media cell of the Chief Electoral Officer.
