LS polls: Web cameras to be installed in all booths in eight districts including Kannur

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 30238 voting machines are ready to conduct polls in the state. There are 25231 booths in 20 constituencies. Along with this, 32698 VVPAT machines will also be used.

In all the booths in eight districts, the voting process will be completely recorded on web camera. Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul informed that webcasting will be available only in three out of four booths in the other six districts. But all the affected booths in these districts will be under real-time monitoring.

Complete web casting will be in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod.

The voting machines will be checked three times before voting. This will be done in the presence of representatives of the contesting parties. The first test was on March 27. The second test was conducted yesterday. The mock test will now be conducted before the start of polling. Mock voting will be done by casting fifty votes. After that, votes will be removed before the actual poll.

In polling centers with multiple booths, cameras will also be installed outside the booths to control crowding.

The Chief Electoral Officer said that the web casting facility is being introduced to ensure transparent elections by preventing booth grabbing, distribution of money and bogus voting. Control rooms will be set up in the Chief Electoral Officer's office and District Collectorates for real-time monitoring.