Forthcoming civic elections to see e-voting kiosks, tamper-proof EVMs.
The Maharashtra state election commission on Thursday said that they were keen to make web-based voting a reality in the forthcoming local self-government elections and were working on the various security aspects of the project. The commission said that they also had plans to make available ‘polling kiosks’ at public places like hospitals and jails for patients, pregnant ladies, senior citizens and all those who were not able to reach the polling booths.
Speaking on various issues, state election commissioner Neela Satyanarayan said that they were working on various new plans and projects including enhancing the security of electronic voting machines by sealing them with holograms. This would not just make them tamper-proof, but also help the commission to track them to avoid thefts and malpractices.
She said political parties had approached them saying that electronic voting machines could be tampered with, after which they included a number of new security features. “The new features include battery recharge indicators, unique serial numbers and a tamper-proof hologram that will help our office to track down the location of the machine. These features will be updated in all the existing 31,800 machines and built in the 30,500 new machines that we plan to buy,” she said. An interesting feature of the new machines was that the EVMs would have a small printer where a voter could see for whom he has cast his vote. “But before implementing any of the new features, we shall hold demonstrations and take suggestions and objections from all the stakeholders,” she said, adding that the commission would try and implement the decision of e-voting for the BMC polls, if there are no security issues.
The issue of enhancing the limits of expenditure of candidates was also discussed at a meeting of civic commissioners.
“Accordingly, it was proposed to raise the expense margin for A category civic bodies like Mumbai from Rs1.35 lakh to 5lakh, for B Category bodies like Pune, Nagpur and C Category civic bodies like Pimpri-Chinchwad, Thane, Nashik, Navi Mumbai to Rs4 lakh and for remaining D category corporations to Rs3 lakh. “Every candidate would also have to open a separate election account and maintain records of daily expenses,” Satyanarayan added.
Speaking on the redrawing of wards, she said that there will be no changes in Mumbai.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}