The Election Commission wants you to watch polling live through webstream, detect violations of rules and alert the authorities.
The EC has asked all Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) to make arrangements for live webcasting of polling in as many polling stations as possible.
It has also asked poll authorities in states to ensure against technical glitches during webcasting. They have been asked to check the webcast facility at least two days before poll date “to ensure that nothing goes wrong on the poll day.”
“The purpose of webcasting is to make the polling process transparent. All webcasting should therefore be put in public domain...It should also be publicised that if any person notices any violation of rules and procedures on the webcast, he/she can make a complaint to the Returning Officer/Observer.
Arrangements should be made for an immediate inquiry on all such complaints,” said an EC notice to the CEOs.
The poll body has instructed its officers across India to use facilities including YouTube and You Stream for free real-time telecast of all the nine phases beginning April 7 and ending May 12.
A link will also be available on respective CEOs’ websites to view voting live.
Officials have been asked to borrow computers from schools, educational institutions and government offices for live feed.
They are also free to hire machines and webcams for a few days. Broadband connections, wherever available, can be leased for a few days for the purpose.
Besides webcast, video recording and still photography will be carried out to ensure transparency.
The commission has warned that cameras for webcasting, video recording and still photography must be so placed that “secrecy of voting is not violated in any manner.”
