Stakeholders can view live polling process
Hyderabad: The Telangana Chief Electoral Officer, Dr Rajat Kumar, on Thursday directed all Collectors and DEOs and GHMC Commissioners to ensure that all polling stations in the State are equipped with digital surveillance and live webcasting systems. The DEOs have been told to send Assembly constituency-wise compliance report on digital coverage of all polling stations. The CEO asked the DEOs to ensure that a minimum of 10% of total polling locations are covered by webcasting.
The objectives for planning digital surveillance is to observe live poll process from start to end on poll day (April 11) from polling stations at CEO DGP, DEOs, SPs, RO levels and to enable all stakeholders and public who want to view poll process of any polling station during polls. The DEOs and ROs are directed to ensure that a sufficient number of screens are available in their offices and at locations for authorised representatives of contesting candidates to view the webcasting live stream.
To increase voter turnout by instilling confidence among them and that they can franchise their vote without any fear in polling station. To constrain malpractices such as rigging, booth capturing etc., and to make the poll process transparent.
The digital surveillance of the polling stations is to be taken up by web casting, off line recording and CCTV cameras. Through web casting live streaming of the video footage will be done through software provided by the CEO. It requires internet connectivity, web camera with a laptop, desktop or smart phone with above 3 MP camera. In offline recording the entire poll proceedings will be video graphed and stored locally.
Rajat Kumar said that web cameras will be distributed to all districts and the DEOs must ensure that sufficient manpower with laptop/ desktop are mobilised to facilitate usage of these cameras. For manpower the CEO suggested to utilise the services of student volunteers from various engineering and other colleges for the purpose. One lecturer is assigned as a mentor to every group of 25 volunteers.