The Hindu : Front Page : ``Install cameras in polling booths''

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 22, 2005

Front Page

Front Page

``Install cameras in polling booths''

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI, JAN. 21. The Supreme Court has suggested to the Election Commission that closed circuit cameras be installed in polling stations during the coming Assembly elections in three States to minimise incidents of booth-capturing, rigging and intimidation of voters.

Dealing with an election petition, a three-Judge Bench, comprising the Chief Justice R.C. Lahoti, Justice G.P. Mathur and Justice A.K. Mathur, gave a series of suggestions to ensure free and fair polls.

Paramilitary personnel

The Bench said the Commission should consider posting of paramilitary personnel inside the polling booths in addition to the personnel in charge of law and order duty outside the booths. Some cameras should be installed in the polling booths to maintain vigilance on the local staff on duty for ensuring free and fair elections.

The Bench said: "It has come to our notice that some times local staff appointed to conduct the elections become party to unfair and illegal practices. The paramilitary force outside the polling booth maintains law and order situation outside but what transpires inside the booth is beyond their reach."

Therefore, the Bench said, the Commission might consider some measures to appoint some of the paramilitary force personnel to be deputed inside the booth so as to keep eye on local staff who were entrusted the task of conducting the election. "This will have a sobering effect on staff that they are under the vigilance of paramilitary force," the Bench said.

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