11

Live Recording of poll Live Recording of poll

proceedings & video-streamingproceedings & video-streaming

in Electionsin Elections in Tamil Nadu [2009-10]in Tamil Nadu [2009-10]

-Presentation on 12th May 2010

2

Legal backing for coverage of poll proceedings

In 2005, ECI directed vide a lr. addressed to

CEO, Bihar, that in compliance with the

orders of the Supreme Court in CA No. 9228

of 2003 – (Janak Singh Vs. Das Rai and

Other) dt. Jan. 11, 2005, photography may be

carried inside polling stations to photograph

electors and cover poll proceedings without

compromising the secrecy of voting

3

Authority for coverage of poll proceedings…

This was reiterated in the consolidated

instructions issued by ECI in letter of

17.01.2007 on the use of videography and

digital cameras during elections

The photograph of electors should be taken

immediately after an entry has been made in

the Register of Voters in Form 17 A

4

A small beginning in Live Recording

During the Lok Sabha elections 2009 from

Tamil Nadu a start was made with Live-

Recording and Video streaming to the DEO’s

office being done in some polling stations in

Chennai, Madurai, Kanniyakumari and

Sivaganga districts

5

DEO- Chennai Corporation Commissioner- monitoring Poll

6

Upscaling of process in the bye-elections

Bye-Elections to 5 ACs (18th Aug. ’09) witnessed considerable upscaling of this process

Live recording done in all Polling Stations Laptops (with in-built web cam) diverted

temporarily from schools or PCs & Web Cameras were used

Computer teachers and students were drafted to serve as Operators

7

Connectivity & Video-Streaming

BSNL, Chennai provided broadband

connectivity

Video-streaming to the CEO’s office

Server was possible wherever BSNL

connectivity was available

S/w provided free by an Agency

8

More economical than videography

While the cost of conventional videography may range from Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 3,500 per PS, the cost of live-recording works out to only Rs. 1,700 per PS incl. BSNL connectivity

• Laptops are mobilised from schools; Operators are College students or School teachers

• Cost of 2 web-cams Rs. 960; assuming each is used only 10 times ,

cost is taken as Rs. 960/10 or Rs. 100 roundly

• Broadband connectivity Rs. 700 per PS (wherever connectivity is feasible)

• Honorarium to Computer Operator Rs. 750 per PS; Officers of NIC/ ELCOT/ CMC who provide technical support Rs. 600

• Cost of CD Rs. 10 per PS

9

Live-Recording & Video-Streaming…..

Subsequently, in the bye-elections to 2 ACs- Tiruchendur & Vandavasi and in the bye-election to Pennagaram AC (poll on 19th Dec. ’09 & 27th March 2010), live-recording was again done in all PSs

Video-streaming done first to CEO’s Server and from there to DEO’s office wherever BSNL connectivity was available- 100% in Tiruchendur AC & nearly 25% in Vandavasi AC; for Pennagaram AC, video-streaming was done for almost 100% PSs using WLL besides BSNL connectivity

For Pennagaram bye-election, a link was also provided to the Election Commission

10

Hawthorn Effect

The fact that the Polling Officers, Booth

Agents and voters knew that they would be

observed live and that the proceedings were

being recorded made them behave properly-

‘Hawthorn effect’

11

Recording in hard-disk

In as much as proceedings were recorded in

hard disk of laptops, it served as a deterrent

even if video-streaming was not possible

This was copied in a DVD and handed over to

the reception centre for viewing by the

Observer/ DEO/ RO (in case of any doubt/

complaint)

12

Checking of image with PER

In the last 3 bye-elections, an innovative

feature was that [apart from live-recording of

the poll proceedings through a web-cam

positioned in each PS], another web cam was

put to focus on the elector and capture his

image for transmission to the CEO’s office

Server for comparison with the image in the

pre-loaded photo rolls database

13

Checking of image with PER….

In the laptop dedicated for a PS, the photo

rolls database of the relevant Part relating to

that PS was loaded in the Laptop

This enabled the Operator and the Presiding

Officer also to view the photo of the elector

by entering the sl. no. of elector

[Web-cams were procured for all Polling Stations (at

2 per polling station) for the above purpose]

14

Arrangements by DEOs

DEOs had to check on the availability and organize

(i) laptops

(ii) broadband connectivity [after discussion with

BSNL officers having jurisdiction] or WLL

(iii) Computer Sc. Teachers/ Operators/ Students with

IT/ Electronics Engg./ MCA or BCA background for

operating the computer on poll day

15

Arrangements in CEO’s Control Room

In the CEO’s office Control Room, 1 Plasma

Screen per Constituency was hired for

viewing the live-recording and for checking

the image of the voter captured in the polling

station with the image in the photo rolls

placed by its side by a software devised for

the purpose

[It would be preferable to have a separate Plasma

Screen for each of the two processes]

16

Arrangements in CEO’s Control Room… 40 MBPS (20MBPS/ AC) band-width line was leased

from BSNL for 1 week to provide the requisite

connectivity in CEO’s office

Four Servers were also hired for processing the live

feed of video and photos

Wherever any abnormality or unusual movement

was noticed, the Polling Station/ Zonal Officer was

contacted from the CEO’s Office using the

Communication Plan

17

Thank You

Knowledge once gained casts a light beyond

its own immediate neighbours- John Tyndall