PMC goes hi-tech with SMS-based system to keep count of votes

He said the facility would enable election authorities at each polling booth to send the data on the number of voters every two hours through SMS. “There will be no need to call up each booth and collect information,” Ashtikar said. “Collection and compilation of data takes up a lot of time. The application would directly receive the data through SMS from authorities and generate counting statistics and progressive reports. It will also have the facility to enter the final voting numbers at the end of the day.”

For counting,the system shall have the facility to enter the data from the counting locations and would generate the result in the given format. “It would be more effective during counting as information would be collected faster and disseminated immediately,” Ashtikar added.

For the first time,the PMC will also use candidates’ nomination management system for the polls,said deputy municipal commissioner Sudhakar Deshmukh,in charge of the IT cell for PMC elections.

He said the returning officer will physically collect the nomination forms from candidates and immediately enter the data in the system so that it is availalble to election commission. “The system will also be used for scrutiny of the application and allotting symbols to approved candidates. This will be in addition to the physical scrutiny done by returning officer.”