Now, a BBMP app to provide updates from polling booths

Bengaluru: For the first time in the urban local body elections, the BBMP is taking the help of technology to keep a close eye on election developments on the polling day. The civic agency will use an application to receive hourly updates from all the polling booths.

During ‘Meet the Press’ on Thursday, BBMP commissioner G. Kumar Naik, City police commissioner N.S.Megharikh and State Election Commissioner P.N Sreenivasachari briefed the media about election arrangements.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Naik said that all the polling personnel were given an internal application to inform the head office about the status of their particular booth.

“Every polling booth will be registered with us and the officers will send SMSes as and when there are developments. For instance, if there’s fake polling in any booth, we will get an immediate update. Also, we will get the voting percentage information every hour. Earlier, we received information only in the evenings; now the app will help us watch the developments of all the wards closely,” he said.  

Mr Naik added that the mobile-based information management service will help the BBMP and the city police take rapid response action, if there are untoward incidents at any polling station. Further, he said that over 3.5 lakh new voters had enrolled for voters’ IDs since January this year.

“There are 73.88 lakh voters including 38.76 lakh male voters and 35.10 lakh female voters this election. As many as 6,760 polling stations have been set up for conducting smooth elections. Last time, the voter turnout was only 44 per cent. We hope more citizens will cast their votes on Saturday,” he urged.

Mr Sreenivasachari, who said that SEC was fully prepared to conduct the election, said that 7 IAS officers were appointed as special observers, while 27 KAS officers have been appointed as election observers for each Assembly constituency.

“Since a candidate has been elected unopposed in Hongasandra ward, elections will be conducted in 197 wards only. Totally, 1,120 candidates are in the fray. Elections will take place in the 6,760 polling stations between 7 am and 5 pm,” he said.

Exit poll survey

When asked if news channels were violating rules by telecasting early poll surveys, Mr Sreenivasachari clarified that as per the State Election Commission guidelines, TV channels should not telecast such shows for 48 hours before the commencement of the elections. “Accordingly, TV channels were allowed to air poll surveys till Thursday 7 am. Airing any show after that is a violation,” he said.

‘Thumbs up’ for election

With Gram Panchayat elections concluding recently, in a bid to avoid all confusion, the BBMP said that indelible ink will be put on the left thumb of voters. “We want the city to give a thumbs up to BBMP elections!” joked Mr Naik.