The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued new post-poll guidelines after phase 1 voting concluded in West Bengal on Thursday. In its fresh advisory, the poll body has instructed officials to follow strict protocols with regard to handling surveillance cameras and video data after voting concludes.West Bengalsaw its highest ever voter turnout since independence on April 23 as the state recorded 92.72 per cent polling. Voting in the second phase is scheduled for April 29, and the results will be declared on May 4.
As per the new instructions from the election commission, the SD cards used in polling booth cameras cannot be removed immediately after voting ends, and officials concerned will only be permitted to dismount the cameras, which must then remain under the supervision of the sector officer, he said.
“The SD cards can be removed only at the designated Data Collection and Receiving Centre in the presence of the Assistant Returning Officer,” he said.
All video footage captured during polling must be preserved securely and systematically, the election official said.
“No member of the polling party or Booth Level Officer (BLO) can leave the polling station until the camera equipment has been fully dismounted,” he said.
Meanwhile, a trial run of webcasting for the second phase of polling will begin at 10 am on Friday, the official said.
"The exercise will be conducted in three shifts," he said.
Polling in 16 districts of West Bengal began at 7 am on Thursday amid tight security to decide the electoral fate of 1,478 candidates, including 167 women, in 152 of the 294 assembly seats.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said that voter turnout of 91.78 per cent is the "highest-ever percentage in West Bengal since Independence."
Data shared by the Commission showed that the previous highest turnout in the state was 84.72 per cent during the 2011 assembly elections.
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