Non Force Measures for Free and Fair Election

1. Cell phones turned into webcam with the help of software can be handed over to Observers, Magistrates and Micro-observers moving from booth to booth on the election day for transmitting live streaming videos of occurrences that need special attention or as a means of general surveillance. The no. of frames captured and transmitted by the webcam is based on the data transmitting speed of internet wherever accessible over cell phones.

At present though the above is technically and theoretically possible, the practical and technical aspects on the field needs to be assessed and for this purpose the service of the software engineers need to be taken and the internet service providers will have to be talked with.

2. SMS based monitoring: In many elections held all over the World in the recent past this tool has been quite effectively used. In the Indian context, the microobservers and /or booth level contact persons may be provided with cashcards for their mobiles they may be given a set of codes which have preassigned meaning and they may be asked to sms to a particular number. This number may be tagged with a computer kept in the district headquarters which will interpret the codes and set a standard reaction pattern wherin the operator in charge of the computer sends parts of the message to Returning officer/Observer/Magistrate on duty as per the predetermined response protocol. For this bulk SMS ing will have to be dealt with. SMS gateways and the Election Commission will have to come to an agreement for operationalisation of the system.

3. Citizen-reporting: Again here the SMS technology may be utilized. SMS to a particular number may be made of subsidized rate wherein the citizens may report any untoward incident in the vicinity of the polling booth from a week before poll date to about three days after the poll day. It is the time manipulations if any are generally organized by political parties, these if dealt with in a firm hand will serve two purpose. Firstly, it will increase the confidence and the participatory spirit of the General Electorate in the democratic process. Secondly, it will weed out unfair interference and manipulations by the Political Parties. The subsidized mobile number where such SMS can be sent will have to be adequately publicized in the local newspapers, cable channels. The SMS received will be monitored from a PC where the complaints will be categorized and action will be taken as per a standard protocol

For this, the SMS gateways , the mobile service providers and the Commission will have to finalise the terms of the workability of the above arrangement.

4. Close Monitoring of Hyper sensitive booths: This can be done based on records of previous elections, like the margin of the winning candidate, percentage of voting, history of post poll/ pre poll law and order violations, prevailing law and order situation, etc. On the basis of vulnerability mapping, the hyper sensitive polling booths can be identified. Hidden cameras can be installed in such booths and monitoring by means of Close Circuit Television may be carried out from some central location like the Sector Office or the SDO office. Teams may be kept ready to rush to those polling stations as and when needed.

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Contact this office for further details.