Nellore: The Election Commission foiled almost all attempts of the political parties to obtain evidence from the voters about whom they have voted in the election to the MLC local body seat following reports over various plans in the offing. Both ruling party and opposition paid Rs 2 lakh to all their members of local bodies as a goodwill gesture and anywhere between '2 lakh to '5 lakh to those who openly switched loyalties.
The condition while paying money was that the voters have to take photo of ballot paper on their mobile phone after putting the tick mark before the candidate’s name. In this backdrop, Election Commission iss-ued orders against carrying any electronic gadgets including mobile phones, pens and even paper, be it a newspaper into the polling booth. The reason for restriction even on a piece of paper is that voters used to bring back empty ballot paper after depos-iting similar paper in the ballot box.
This means the next voter will deposit this and bring empty one and it continues till the end of polling. The other plan of the candidates to send their man, using the companion assistance facility available for illiterate, blind or infirm, to keep a tab on doubtful voters also failed. The election officials issued permission for only five voters to avail the facility under illiterate category out of 50 applied after collecting information from local body authorities concerned.
“We are not allowing even a pen because of the possibility of taking pens with built in micro cameras” said Joint Collector and Returning Officer to the election A. MD. Imtiaz. He said they are opening counters manned by police before the polling stations to enable voters to deposit restricted items before entering the booth and collect after exercising their franchise. Similarly counters are arranged to issue IDs to the voters.
In addition to the videography in the polling station and outside, web cameras are being installed not only in the polling station but also outside the station to cover 360 degrees for live coverage of polling process in view of sensitive situation. Police wing deputed as many as 900 police personnel as part of security arrangements at 5 polling stations at Kavali, Atmakur, Nellore, Gudur and Nayudupeta.
