Staff Reporter
Guwahati: From now on, during any general elections, it will be mandatory for webcasting to be done from all polling stations where internet connectivity is available. In shadow areas, where there is no internet coverage, alternative arrangements for videography or photography should be made. In this regard, the Election Commission of India today issued revised guidelines on webcasting on poll day. With Assam headed for Assembly polls next year, these guidelines will also be applicable in the state.
There are around 10 months to go before the next Assembly elections are held in the state, and there are currently 29,656 polling centres. The ECI has sent the revised guidelines to all Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) in the states and Union Territories, including the CEO of Assam.
According to the communiqué to the CEOs, the ECI has issued the instructions on the use of multiple civil (non-force) measures to keep a watch on various stages of the election process, including the webcasting on poll day, to monitor the critical activities as an internal management tool to prevent any vitiation of the poll process.
“Now, in partial modification of the Commission’s instruction referred to above, it has been decided that webcasting shall be done in all polling stations, i.e., 100% of polling stations having internet connectivity. However, in shadow areas, suitable alternate arrangements of videography, photography, etc., may be made,” it is stated in the letter.
It is also mentioned that there will be a webcasting monitoring control room at the state level, district level and AC level as well, which shall be supervised and monitored by a Nodal Officer appointed at each level. For smooth functioning and monitoring of webcasting on poll day, the Nodal Officers shall be responsible for ensuring that (i) webcasting arrangements are put in place and a dry run is conducted at least 2 days in advance; (ii) monitoring of the poll day activities at all polling stations with their team is done and close coordination with field level officers is kept; and (iii) all polling stations are watched live multiple times during the day for an adequate period of time to closely observe the proceedings. For this, adequate staff should be deployed at the control rooms; (iv) monitoring teams are formed and properly trained; (v) in case any violation/suspicious/wrongful activity is observed/noticed at any polling station, the same shall be brought to the notice of the Presiding Officer/Sector Officer/Returning Officer/District Election Officer/Observer immediately for necessary action.
Nodal Officers will also ensure that contact details of election officials concerned are available in the webcasting monitoring control room and that the control room works throughout the day of the poll, starting from the mock poll till the close of the poll. Adequate IT infrastructure, internet, TV displays, phones/mobile phones, technical staff, stationary items, etc. are to be made available for the smooth functioning of the monitoring process.
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