For the first time in the May 12 general elections, Delhi could get some all-women polling stations, to be operated entirely by women — women polling personnel and women security officials — Ranbir Singh, chief electoral officer of Delhi, said on Monday.
Efforts are on to provide pick-up and drop facilities to persons with disabilities (PWDs). And along with all other states, this will be the first time that Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines are deployed in all polling stations.
“The district election officers have been asked to identify areas where all-women polling stations can be set up. The number of such booths hasn’t been fixed yet,” said Singh, adding that ‘pink polling booths’ have been used in other elections, such as the Karnataka polls last year.
These booths have all-women staff, including presiding officers, polling officers, micro observers and security personnel. HT had earlier reported that efforts were being made to provide transport facilities to the persons with disabilities for the first time.
“Transport facility will be provided to differently-abled residents who otherwise have no means to travel to polling booths. The differently-abled can also enrol themselves through a special app launched for them and mark their location,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“Transport facility will be provided to differently-abled residents who otherwise have no means to travel to polling booths. The differently-abled can also enrol themselves through a special app launched for them and mark their location,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}In another first, all 13,816 polling stations across 2,696 polling premises would have VVPAT machines. The VVPAT is like a printer that forms a part of the EVM along with the ballot unit and control unit.
“If a voter alleges that the paper trail of the VVPAT is showing the name of a political party for which s/he didn’t cast her/his vote, a test vote would be done in front of them by the presiding officer. If the allegations are found to be false, an FIR would be lodged against the voter,” he added.
The CEO held a meeting with the district election officers, civic bodies and Delhi police earlier in the day and issued instructions regarding conduct of elections. “Instructions have been issued to remove posters, banners and pictures of political figures from public places within 48 hours. Defacement would also have to be removed. The MCC (model code of conduct) should be fully enforced,” said Singh.
Citizens, for the first time, would be able to lodge complaints and flag violations of the model code through a mobile app ‘cVIGIL’, said Singh. The poll panel will take 100 minutes to resolve a complaint.
Citizens can upload pictures and videos, preferably not more than two minutes long, to flag model code violations such as distribution of gifts and liquor to bribe voters, political banners and posters being put up in public places, liquor being distributed among voters, hate speeches detrimental to society being given by politicians and incidents of muscle power among others.
The photos and videos would have to be uploaded within five minutes of capturing them. The app will reject any photo or video captured more than five minutes before it is uploaded, officials said. The complainant may choose not to disclose their identity.
“Within seconds the complaint would reach the returning officer and would be forwarded to the flying squad. At least 210 such squads would be deployed,” said Singh.