GPS, webcasting technologies to be introduced in State polls

SHILLONG: Taking a cue from Manipur polls, Meghalaya will use technology in select areas for smooth conduct of the Assembly polls in 2018.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Monday, Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Kharkongor said Manipur used GPS on flying squads and surveillance team of polling personnel, besides cent percent webcasting was introduced, which resulted in peaceful and fair polls in the neighbouring State.
In Manipur, static surveillance team members with GPS devices were sent to certain sensitive constituencies. This was to have a real time assessment of threat from any quarters.
If anyone had targeted the team, this would be immediately known since the GPS device will track the location of the surveillance team.As far as webcasting is concerned, each polling station was connected to the central feeder in the state headquarters during Manipur polls, which helped election officials to prevent anomalies during casting of votes inside polling stations.
“Though Manipur used the technology extensively, we will use the GPS and webcasting in certain sensitive areas of the State during the polls,” Kharkongor added.
Besides Kharkongor, the election officials from poll-bound Nagaland and Tripura had also visited Manipur for two days from August 24 to understand how Manipur conducted the polls with the use of technology.
Nagaland and Tripura will also use the technology in parts of the states during the upcoming polls.
VVPAT in all 60 constituencies
To allay the doubts in the minds of voters and political parties, Kharkongor said Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) will be used in all the 60 constituencies in Meghalaya during the 2018 polls.
“This will help voters to know whom they voted with documentary and visual proof,” Kharkongor said.
After pressing the button in an EVM, the voter will be able to see whom he or she has voted on the VVPAT machine screen which will remain for seven seconds and later a paper slip with the poll symbol and name of the candidate printed on it will be dropped in a box and a beep sound will be heard.