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4 hours ago
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In the instructions to CEOs on Monday, the EC wrote that the Commission had deployed multiple “civil (non-force) measures” to keep an eye on the different stages of the election process, including using webcasting on poll day.
Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections later this year, the Election Commission on Monday told chief electoral officers (CEOs) of all states and UTs to conduct webcasting — live video recording and monitoring — of polling day activities for 100% of polling stations, increasing it from the earlier instructions of 50%.
An EC official said this would be applicable to the Bihar polls, which are expected in October or November. In the instructions to CEOs on Monday, the EC wrote that the Commission had deployed multiple “civil (non-force) measures” to keep an eye on the different stages of the election process, including using webcasting on poll day.
“Now…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 alternative arrangements of videography, photography etc. may be made,” the EC instructions read.
The EC’s instructions come at a time when Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been demanding that the EC release the CCTV footage of poll day in Maharashtra. Earlier this month, he alleged that there was “match-fixing” in the 2024 Maharashtra polls and asked that the EC release the video footage of polling after 5pm.
The video feeds from polling stations come in at control rooms at the state, district and Assembly constituency-level. Staff is deployed here to watch the live footage and if they see any violations or suspicious activity, they are meant to inform the presiding officer, sector officer, returning officer, district election officer (DEO) or EC-appointed observer.
As per the instructions, the cameras are not meant to face the ballot unit and VVPAT so the secrecy of the vote can be maintained. They are, however, meant to see any violations, including if any other voter or official enters the voting compartment while a voter is casting his or her vote, if the poll process is halted or delayed for any reason, and if there is any unauthorised person in the polling station.
So far, in the LS elections last year and till the most-recent Assembly polls in Delhi in 2025, the EC has mandated “minimum 50% webcasting” of all polling stations and 100% webcasting of all identified critical polling stations.
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