Rajasthan Legislative Assembly By-elections 2024: Focus on Live Webcasting Monitoring of Voting
Jaipur-Udaipur: During the by-elections in 7 assembly constituencies of Rajasthan, the Election Department will place a special focus on live webcasting from polling stations to ensure any disruptions or issues during the voting process can be resolved immediately. The Election Commission of India will also monitor the webcasting feed live, enabling quick resolution of problems, such as long queues of voters or difficulties faced by polling staff.
In a video conference held on Tuesday, Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Deputy Election Commissioner of India, and Mr. Naveen Mahajan, Chief Electoral Officer, Rajasthan, issued guidelines to district election officers and police officers from the 7 constituencies. The conference also included senior officers such as the Inspector General of Police (Vigilance), Mr. Prafull Kumar, Inspector General of Police (ATS), Mr. Hemant Kumar Sharma, and Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Mr. Anil Kumar Tank.
Mr. Mahajan mentioned that more than half of the polling stations would have webcasting arrangements to ensure free, fair, and fear-free voting. A local-level action plan and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) have been developed for live monitoring of the webcasting feeds, with immediate corrective measures in place for any unusual situations. He added that polling stations identified as sensitive would receive extra attention from the Election Department.
**10-10 Model Polling Stations to be Set Up**
The Chief Electoral Officer further stated that for the by-elections, 10 model polling stations will be established in each of the 7 constituencies. These "eco-friendly" polling stations will not use plastic materials, and all election-related materials will also be as plastic-free as possible. Traditional earthen cups (kulhads) will be used for beverages like tea at these stations.
Mr. Mahajan also informed that the election staff and officials involved in the by-election process will not require postal ballots, with the exception of a few female and differently-abled personnel, who will be allowed to vote through Election Duty Certificates (EDC).
In total, 1,862 polling stations and 53 auxiliary polling stations will be set up in the 7 constituencies, serving 19,37,485 voters. This is 22 more auxiliary polling stations than those established during the last general election, which should help reduce long queues.
**Election Commission Appreciates Innovations in Rajasthan**
Deputy Election Commissioner Mr. Sanjay Kumar praised the innovative arrangements being made for the by-elections in Rajasthan and suggested that similar initiatives should be adopted in other states. He emphasized the importance of sharing the local action plan and SOP for live webcasting monitoring with the Election Commission. He also mentioned that the Election Commission would also monitor the webcasting feed and issue necessary instructions to field observers and other officers in case of long voter queues.
During the video conference, the district election officers presented detailed updates on the election preparations, covering topics such as polling station arrangements, home voting, postal ballot procedures for service voters, randomization of EVMs and VVPATs, formation and training of polling teams, distribution of voter information slips (VIS) and voter guides (VG), deployment of polling staff, storage of EVMs post-polling, and arrangements for counting. They also discussed security measures, coordination with political parties, and other aspects of the election process.
District police officers discussed the security arrangements at polling stations, EVM storage and transportation, law and order situations, and the security plans for sensitive areas. They reported that, so far, goods worth Rs. 64 crore have been seized in the 7 constituencies. The authorities assured that all preparations have been completed to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful election process.
**Ensuring a Free and Fair Election**
Deputy Election Commissioner Mr. Kumar also directed a strict watch on the illegal distribution of cash, alcohol, and other items to voters, emphasizing that strict action should be taken by law enforcement agencies and security forces to prevent such activities.
**Updates from Udaipur Headquarters**
During the video conference, the District Election Officer (Collector) from Udaipur, Mr. Arvind Kumar Poswal, provided an update on the preparations for the Salumber assembly by-election. He outlined the training programs for polling teams, their deployment, monitoring of election activities, and arrangements for home voting. Superintendent of Police (SP) Yogesh Goel and Salumber District SP Rajesh Yadav also gave briefings on law and order, security arrangements, and the preparations at the assembly level to ensure a smooth, peaceful, and fair election.
Also joining the video conference were Deputy District Election Officer (ADM Administration) Mr. Deependra Singh Rathore, CEO of the Zila Parishad Mr. Hemendra Nagar, head of the expenditure monitoring team Mr. Krishna Pal Singh, Technical Director of NIC Mr. Mazhar Hussain, and Assistant Incharge of the Training Team Dr. Mahamaya Prasad Chaubisa, among other officials.
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