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Bengal Polls: AI-Enabled CCTV Cameras & GPS Trackers for Election Surveillance

The Election Commission of India is implementing stringent surveillance measures for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls. AI-enabled CCTV cameras will be installed in all polling booths, with sensitive booths getting three cameras and others receiving two. Additionally, vehicles of Central Armed Police Forces Quick Response Teams will be fitted with GPS trackers for real-time monitoring by central observers. These steps aim to address past complaints about the ineffective utilization of security forces and ensure orderly polling.

Key Points: Bengal Polls: AI CCTVs, GPS for CAPF in Sensitive Booths

  • Three CCTVs in sensitive booths, two in others
  • AI tech to alert control rooms of crowding
  • GPS trackers on all CAPF QRT vehicles
  • Videographers for super-sensitive booths
2 min read

Bengal polls: Sensitive booths to have three CCTV cameras, others two each

ECI mandates AI-enabled CCTV cameras in all Bengal polling booths and GPS trackers on CAPF vehicles for enhanced surveillance during Assembly elections.

"All these cameras will be artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled. In case there is an assembly of many unauthorised persons within the booths, the district and central control rooms would be alerted through that technology, - CEO's office insider"

Kolkata, April 16

In an attempt to keep the polling system in the forthcoming two-phase Assembly polls in West Bengal under total surveillance, the Election Commission of India has decided to install three CCTV cameras in sensitive booths and two in non-sensitive booths.

Insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said that of the three CCTV cameras to be installed at sensitive booths, two will be inside the booths and one will be outside.

In non-sensitive booths, one CCTV camera will be installed within the booth and one outside the booth. These cameras will be linked to the district control rooms at the offices of the district magistrates, who are also the district electoral officers of the district concerned, as well as to the central control room at the CEO's office in Kolkata.

"All these cameras will be artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled. In case there is an assembly of many unauthorised persons within the booths, the district and central control rooms would be alerted through that technology," the CEO's office insider said.

These cameras within the booths will be placed in such a manner that it would give a 360-degree view of the poll proceedings within the booth.

At the same time, in case of super-sensitive booths, the Commission had decided to depute professional videographers to record the poll proceedings.

The vehicles provided to the quick-response teams (QRTs) of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel will be fitted with GPS trackers to ensure that the ECI-appointed central observers can constantly monitor whether the deployed CAPF personnel are effectively utilised during the polling day or not.

"In the past elections in West Bengal, there were several complaints that despite a large number of CAPF personnel being deployed, their effective utilisation was not done even on the polling days. Often, QRTs were diverted to locations other than where they were most needed. So keeping such complaints in mind, the Commission this time has decided to strictly monitor the movements of the CAPF personnel," said the CEO's office insider.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good move by ECI. The misuse of CAPF personnel was a major issue last time. GPS tracking will ensure they are deployed where needed most. Democracy needs this level of monitoring.
A
Aman W
While surveillance is important, I hope voter privacy inside the booth is maintained. A 360-degree view sounds excessive. The focus should be on preventing intimidation outside, not filming voters casting their vote.
S
Sarah B
Interesting use of AI technology. If it can alert control rooms about unauthorized gatherings in real-time, it could prevent a lot of trouble. Implementation will be key though.
V
Vikram M
Finally! Strict monitoring was long overdue for Bengal polls. The "sensitive" and "super-sensitive" booth categorization with extra measures is a practical approach. Let's hope for peaceful voting this time.
K
Karthik V
All these measures sound good on paper. But who monitors the control rooms? And what about areas with poor network connectivity for live feed? The devil is in the details.

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