Webcasting from 110 critical polling booths in DK

Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer Sasikanth Senthil S has said that proceedings at 110 critical polling stations will be webcast live on voting day to ensure transparency.

The district has 641 such sensitive polling booths.

The officer told reporters at a press meet in his office on Tuesday that the proceedings in 95 polling booths will be videographed using manual cameras while 300 micro observers will monitor the proceedings in other sensitive polling booths. The micro observers will directly report to the general observers.

“The services of 8,920 polling personnel will be utilised at 1,891 polling booths.

Of these, 2,230 personnel are presiding officers, 2,230 are APROs and 4,460 are polling officers. There will be 79 vehicles used to ferry polling officers from the mustering centres to the different Assembly constituencies. As many as 668 vehicles will ferry polling officers from the constituencies to their respective booths,” said Senthil,

“The district will have 20 Sakhi polling booths, three disability-friendly booths and five ethnic booths.”

The district election officer said that 15 vehicles worth around Rs 1.09 crore were seized in Dakshina Kannada for violating the election code of conduct.

“Although around Rs 31 lakh cash was seized – it was returned on the submission of documents. About 84,285.10 litre liquor, worth Rs 94.55 lakh, was seized and 587 cases have been registered in the district,” he listed out.

The district administration has imposed prohibitory order until 6 pm on April 19. Only door-to-door campaign by the political parties, with their number not exceeding 5, was permitted on April 17, he clarified.

“The polling agents are allowed to campaign beyond 200-metre radius from the polling booths, but will not be allowed to ferry voters to the polling booths, which is an offence. “

“Only the Election Commission has arranged vehicles to ferry persons with disabilities to the polling booths and help them exercise their franchise. Polling booths will also have wheelchairs and magnifying glasses. Volunteers have been enrolled to help senior citizens and persons with disabilities,” Senthil explained.

Speaking further, the officer said, “Higher officials will be present at the spot within five minutes of any untoward incident being reported.

All polling booths and officers have been connected through GPS, which will be monitored at the district
headquarters.”

He also said, “Food has been arranged for the polling officers at the booths itself. Welfare kits with essentials like toothpaste, combs, and matchboxes will be given to polling officers. In addition, a medical kit with ORS packets, basic medicine, bandage, iodine ointment, and gloves will be given to the polling personnel. Also, a health team will be present at the mustering centre, with a doctor and ambulance facility.”

Out of the 1,900 postal ballots, already 1,033 voters have cast their votes. EDC has been issued to 9,000 officers who are on election duty. The reserve polling officers have been asked to exercise their franchise using EDC at a polling booth near the mustering centre, Senthil explained.

The officer has clarified that, based on the directives from the Election Commission, voters cannot get their mobile phones inside the polling booths on the day of voting.