New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is fully prepared to implement webcasting at all polling stations during the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. This webcasting is being done to ensure strict monitoring of the conduct of the elections.
In light of the revised guidelines issued by the Election Commission on webcasting, Bihar will be the first state in the country to have 100% webcasting for its assembly elections. Previously, webcasting was mandatory at 50% of polling stations, excluding critical polling stations.
Webcasting at 100% of polling stations
In its revised webcasting guidelines issued to the Chief Electoral Officers of all states and union territories in June, the ECI informed that webcasting will be available at all polling stations (100% of polling stations) with internet connectivity. However, videography and photography may be permitted in areas where internet is not available.
The poll panel stated that a webcasting monitoring control room will be established at the state, district, and assembly constituency levels, which will be overseen and monitored by designated nodal officers at each level.
Webcasting was previously implemented at sensitive polling stations.
Webcasting involves live broadcasting of events within the polling station, ensuring the secrecy of the voting process. According to earlier guidelines, it was implemented at at least 50 percent of polling stations, including all sensitive polling stations.
The addition of 12,817 new polling stations has increased the total number of polling stations in Bihar from 77,895 to 90,712. With this, webcasting will be implemented at all polling stations across the state. It is noteworthy that after the release of new guidelines for webcasting, 100 percent of polling stations in assembly by-elections in several states, including Punjab and West Bengal, were webcasted.
Election Commission sources told ETV Bharat on Monday, “Webcasting will be done at all polling stations in the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. This will be the first state in the country to have webcasting at all polling stations.”
Revised Webcasting Guidelines
They said that webcasting will be done at all polling stations as per the revised webcasting guidelines issued by the Election Commission. Citing previous webcasting guidelines, Election Commission sources said, “Previously, webcasting was mandatory at 50 percent of all polling stations, including critical polling stations. As per the revised guidelines, webcasting is now mandatory at every polling station, except in areas without internet access, where videography will be done.”
The term of the Bihar Legislative Assembly is set to end on November 22. An Election Commission delegation will visit Bihar on a two-day visit starting October 4. Following the visit of the delegation, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule for the assembly elections.
