Bengal polls 2nd phase: Any attempt of false voting will lead to imprisonment, warns EC
Kolkata, April 27
Ahead of the second and final phase of West Bengal Assembly polls, the Election Commission of India on Monday warned that any attempt at false voting will attract strict legal action, including imprisonment for the individuals making such attempts.
The office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that in all the polling booths, there would be Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled CCTV cameras enabling efficient web-casting, and these would have a direct connection with the central control room at the CEO's office in Kolkata as well as with the district control rooms at the offices of the district magistrates-cum-district electoral officers.
"Constant monitoring of the activities within the polling booths will be done from the control rooms. So anyone making false voting attempts could be easily identified, tracked and arrested," a CEO's office functionary said.
The ECI made it clear that the false voting attempts are punishable under Section 172 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, where the offender is punishable up to one year of rigorous imprisonment.
"Even if such attempts are done accidentally or carelessly, legal complications cannot be avoided. This is necessary to maintain the principle of 'one person, one vote'. If there is any complaint or suggestion related to the election, the common man can directly contact the Commission either by calling a toll-free number or by sending an email," the CEO's office functionary said.
The second phase of elections for 142 Assembly constituencies will be done under blanket security coverage of 2,407 companies of central forces in addition to personnel from West Bengal Police and Kolkata.
There will be a total of 142 general observers, that is one for each of the 142 Assembly constituencies, and 95 police observers, up from 84 in the first phase of polling for 152 assembly constituencies on April 23.
The results will be declared on May 4.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's good to see the EC taking strict action, but I hope they also focus on ensuring no genuine voter is disenfranchised by technical glitches. The balance between security and accessibility is key.
Imprisonment up to one year for false voting? That's a strong deterrent! The 'one person, one vote' principle must be upheld. Let's hope the security forces ensure a peaceful polling day.
Impressive deployment of 2,407 companies of central forces. But will it be enough to prevent intimidation in sensitive areas? I'm cautiously optimistic.
Toll-free number and email for complaints—good move! But many rural voters might not be aware of these channels. The EC should also set up physical help desks near polling stations.
AI webcasting and direct links to control rooms—sounds like a robust system. Still, human oversight is crucial. Let's see how it works on the ground. 👍
The EC means business this time. But they should also ensure that voters don't face harassment for minor mistakes. The law needs to be enforced with a human touch.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.