With the aim of ensuring transparency and enhanced monitoring of the poll procedure on voting days, the Election Commission (ECI) has decided to carry out 100 per cent webcasting at all polling stations, as against 50 per cent which it does now. The webcasting data will be for internal consumption of the poll authority.

Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all states and UTs have been instructed by the ECI to conduct webcasting — live video recording and monitoring at all polling stations.

“The commission has issued instructions on use of multiple civil (non-force) measures to keep a watch on various stages of election process including the web casting on poll day to monitor the critical activities as internal management tool to prevent any vitiation of poll process,” the Election Commission said in an announcement on Monday.

Bihar will be the first state where 100 per cent webcasting will be implemented, with the Assembly Elections scheduled later this year. Bihar elections are expected to take place in October or November this year.

Webcasting will be done in areas with internet connectivity

In a communication to all state chief electoral officers, the poll panel said webcasting will be done in areas with internet connectivity.

“It has been decided that webcasting shall be done in all polling stations i.e. 100 per cent of polling stations having internet connectivity. However, in shadow areas, suitable ultimate arrangements of videography photography etc may be made,” the ECI notification stated.

Till now webcasting was done mostly at critical polling stations

So far, webcasting was done in 50 per cent of the polling stations and in “critical polling stations” to ensure that the polling process is not vitiated. In December last year, the government tweaked an election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcasting footage as well as video recordings of candidates to prevent their misuse. Based on the recommendation of the EC, the Union law ministry amended Rule 93 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to restrict the type of papers or documents open to public inspection.

How webcasting will be done at polling stations?

There shall be a webcasting monitoring control room at State Level, District Level and AC Level as well which shall be supervised and monitored by a Nodal Officer appointed at each level.

Nodal officers shall be responsible to ensure the following for smooth functioning and monitoring of webcasting on poll day:

Webcasting arrangements are put in place and dry run is conducted at least two days in advance

Monitoring the poll day activities at all polling stations with their team and keeping close coordination with field level officers

While monitoring the poll day activities it shall be ensured that all polling stations are watched live multiple times during the day for an adequate period of time to closely observe the proceedings. For this adequate staff should be deployed at the control rooms.

Ensure that the monitoring teams are formed and properly trained

In case any violation, suspicious or wrongful activity is observed at any polling station, the same shall be brought to the notice of Presiding Officer/Sector Officer/Returning Officer/District Election Officer or Observer immediately for necessary action.

Contact details of Nodal Officer of State Level, District Level and AC Level shall be shared with Returning Officer/District Election Officer/Observer/ECI.

Contact details of Presiding Officers/Sector Officers/Returning Officers/District Election Officer/Observer shall be available in webcasting monitoring control room.

The control room shall work throughout the day of poll starting from mock poll till the close of poll.

Adequate IT infrastructure, internet, TV displays, phone, mobile phone, technical staff, stationary items etc shall be made available for smooth functioning of the monitoring process.

Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘match-fixing’ allegations in Maharashtra Election

The Election Commission’s decision of 100 per cent webcasting come at a time when Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been demanding that the EC release the CCTV footage of poll day in Maharashtra. Earlier this month, he alleged that there was “match-fixing” in the 2024 Maharashtra polls and asked that the EC release the video footage of polling after 5pm.

The Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) secured 235 of the 288 assembly seats. The BJP alone accounted for 132 of these, its best performance in the state’s history. However, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) employed a five-step model to subvert the democratic process in the state.