LS polls: Webcasting in 100% polling booths in Bengal

Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) has decided to have webcasting facilities at all the polling booths in Bengal during the Lok Sabha elections. The poll panel will also be using artificial intelligence technology in Bengal polls.

The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Bengal on March 27 had directed the District Electoral Officers (DEOs) to upload details of the requirement of web cameras at the polling booths under their respective jurisdiction in the CEO office portal.

The excel sheet for uploading of details also had a column where the DEOs were asked to inform about the total number of critical polling stations in their respective districts. According to sources, the Commission after scrutinising the reports from the DEOs decided to have webcasting facilities in all the 80530 polling booths across the state. The CEO office had earlier stated that there should be webcasting in at least 50 per cent booths in the state. However, for thorough surveillance of the activities taking place in the polling booths right from the CEO office, webcasting will be done in 100 per cent of the booths.

In the 2021 Assembly elections in the state, webcasting facilities were put in place in 50.31 per cent of the total polling booths.