(Voters showing their Voter ID at polling booth, during 3rd phase of Assam Assembly Election, in Kamrup (Metro)
Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Polling was conducted peacefully at 1,53,538 Polling Stations spread across 475 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) on April 6, 2021, in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu (TN), Puducherry, and for third phase of Assam and West Bengal. The number of Polling Stations has increased in view of the fact that the number of voters per polling station has been reduced from 1,500 to 1,000 keeping social distancing norms due to Covid-19.
To ensure inclusive and accessible elections, ECI has extended the option of postal ballot facility to PwDs, Senior Citizens above the age of 80 years, COVID-19 suspect or affected persons, and persons employed in essential services. The Observers at the ground level oversaw that proper arrangements for facilitation were made available for these voters.
As per standard procedure, all the EVMs and VVPATs had already undergone First Level Checking (FLC), Randomisation, and Commissioning in the presence of Political Parties/Candidates agents. During FLC and during commissioning each of these EVMs and VVPATs had undergone mock polls. on April 6, 2021, before the start of the poll each of the EVMs and VVPATs again underwent a mock poll in the presence of polling agents of the candidates with minimum 50 votes cast on each, as per standard procedure. At the end of the mock poll, the result of EVM were matched with the result of VVPAT slips and shown to the polling agents. Non-functioning rate during the mock poll was lesser than comparable / experienced in last few polls, according to a PIB release.
(female voters showing mark of indelible ink after casting their votes in Kerala)
As a major push for conducting free and fair elections, live monitoring and webcasting of more than 50% of Polling Stations including critical and vulnerable polling booths was put in place as per ECI norms, to ensure safe and secure atmosphere in polling areas. Commission, CEOs, DEOs, Observers could watch live streaming and keep a close watch on these polling booths.
It is the standing instruction of the Election Commission that outsiders will not be allowed in the areas of poll going assembly constituencies during the silence period i.e. 48 hours before the end of polling hours. The Commission had reiterated this instruction in briefing of DEOs and police officials. These guidelines were strictly and rigorously followed.
During the ongoing elections till this phase, a record seizure of Rs. 947.98 Crore has already been achieved from the five states as on April 6, 2021. The seizure figure, which includes seizure of cash, liquor, narcotics, freebies etc., is more than 4.198 times higher than the total combined seizure of Rs. 225.77 Crore in GE LA 2016.
The Commission has been laying specific emphasis on inducement free elections and curbing the malaise of undue money power, liquor, freebies. For effective monitoring a total 4,606 Flying Squads (FS) and 4,670 Static Surveillance Teams (SST) were operationalised to check movement of cash, liquor, drugs & freebies in these states/UT closely supervised by DEOs, Expenditure observers in Districts and Special observers. A total 19 Air Intelligence Units (AIU) of IT Department are also set at different stations in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
A total number of about 1,87,146 cases of Model Code of Conduct violations were reported through the cVIGIL app of which 1,86,647 cases were disposed as of April 6, 2021 (4 pm).
All the Polling Stations followed COVID-19 Safety protocols. For the safety of the voters and the election officials it was ensured that the Polling Stations were sanitized one day prior to poll and facility of thermal scanning, hand sanitisers, face masks were also made available at the Polling Stations. Proper arrangements for social distancing were put in place. BLOs and volunteers monitored and regulated strict compliance of social distancing norms at the Polling Stations. In the last hour of poll, polling was conducted in full COVID-19 protective gear, with proper COVID-19 protocols and supervision of health authorities.