EC sets new rules to curb fake voting

This year,however,if a polling booth registers even one tendered vote,then the booth,its documents and the voting details will be scrutinised.

“If even a single tendered vote is recorded in a polling booth,the booth will come under scrutiny. And after receiving the reports of observers and returning officers,the EC will decide the action to be taken against the booth,” Chief Electoral Officer Debashis Sen said.

According to the new guidelines,the counting for seven Assembly constituencies under a parliamentary constituency in the state will take place at one location.

“We have instructed the district administrations to make arrangements for the new mechanism,” said Sen.

“If any problem crops up in arranging a proper venue for the counting process,the returning officers will have to discuss the issue with the EC,” added the chief electoral officer.

The rule of counting at one location,however,cannot be applied in Darjeeling as the district does not have a proper venue,he added. To maintain law and order in hypersensitive and sensitive booths,the commission has also decided to videograph the entire polling process in such booths.

Besides deploying observers and micro-observers,the EC has ordered all the district magistrates to arrange for videographers in certain sensitive booths.

“We decided for videography to trace irregularities in polling booths. With video footages of polling process,we can take action against the miscreants at the booths,” said Sen.