EC to provide mobile phone deposit facility for voters at polling stations
In another move, seeking to rationalise poll day management, the Election Commission (EC) decided to allow parties and candidates to set up booths to distribute unofficial
voter identification slips
at 100 metres from the polling station entrance.
Till now, the limit was 200 metres from the "polling location".
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens
Tips and Tricks
Undo
These two key reforms will first be implemented in Bihar, where assembly polls will be held later this year.
Recognising the increasing coverage and usage of mobile phones in urban and rural areas and the challenges faced not only by the voters at large but also senior citizens, women and persons with disabilities in managing mobile phones on polling day, the commission has decided to allow a mobile deposit facility just outside the polling stations, the EC said.
Live Events
"Only mobile phones shall be allowed within 100 metres of the polling station and that too in switched-off mode. Very simple pigeonhole boxes or jute bags shall be provided near the entrance door of the polling station where the voters would be required to deposit their mobile phones. Mobile phones shall not be allowed to be carried inside the polling station," the poll authority said.
However, it said, certain polling stations could be exempt from this provision based on adverse local circumstances by the returning officer.
Rule 49M of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, which ensures secrecy of voting within the polling station, will continue to be strictly enforced, it underlined.
The EC said that in a move aimed at improving election day facilitation, it rationalised the permissible norms for canvassing in line with the electoral laws to 100 metres from the entrance of the polling station.
However, electioneering will not be allowed within a 100-metre radius around the polling station on the day of polling.
"Therefore, the booths set up by the candidates on poll day for issuing unofficial identity slips to electors, in case the electors are not carrying their official Voter Information Slips (VIS) issued by the commission, can now be set up just beyond 100 metres of any polling station," it said.
One "polling location", such as a school, can have multiple polling stations.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Have 'atom bomb' to prove EC is helping BJP steal votes, says Rahul
. NEW DELHI: Congress functionary Rahul Gandhi Friday said his party has collected "atom bomb" of evidence to prove that EC is helping BJP steal votes, stepping up his attack on "vote chori" on a day he led the joint opposition in writing to Lok Sabha Speaker demanding an immediate discussion on the review of electoral rolls in Bihar. The opposition told Speaker that the issue has a direct bearing on the "right to vote" and "conduct of free and fair elections", and merits an urgent debate. Talking about Congress' probe, likely about voters' list for Bangalore Rural LS seat, Rahul told reporters, "What we found is atom bomb; I mean EC will be blown away when that atom bomb explodes". The opposition's letter to Om Birla - signed by Congress, DMK, NCP-SP, RSP, SS-UBT, SP, TMC and RJD - expressed serious concern over the Bihar poll roll revision being done just before elections. It said EC has also announced the exercise will be done nationally, despite apprehensions about "transparency, timing and intent of process". The letter said the opposition had on several occasions listed a discussion on SIR as a priority, but the Modi govt has not notified a date yet. As he doubled down on his allegations, Rahul warned that officials involved in the "theft" will not be spared. "...because you are working against India, which is treason. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Family Adopted A New 'Dog', But When The Vet Sees It He Calls The Police Undo Remember, wherever you are, whether retired or whatever, we will find you," he said. Rahul argued that Congress had suspicions after assembly polls in MP, which solidified after LS polls, and were further deepened with Maharashtra contest last year. Since EC was not helping with voters' lists, the party conducted its own deep dive into voters data. Meanwhile, BJP Friday took a swipe at Rahul's "atom bomb" claim, asking him to "flow like water" instead of "exploding like a bomb". "If they explode a bomb, we will save Constitution," said BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra. He said the Opposition speaks of such things because they have no faith in democracy.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
No Demolition Without Pucca Houses: CM
New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta issued orders on Friday to all departments, including the railways and Delhi Development Authority, that no slum will be demolished in the city unless its residents are provided with pucca houses. Gupta said Delhi govt would amend the existing policy on JJ clusters, if required, and even move court to protect the housing rights of slum-dwellers. She added that nearly 50,000 flats built years ago for the economically weaker section (EWS) in outer areas of the city under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission would be renovated for slum dwellers. "Slums in Delhi are an inseparable part of the national capital, with residents living there for decades," Criticising the opposition for using slum-dwellers as a political vote bank, Gupta asserted her govt was making sincere efforts to ensure their rightful recognition as residents of Delhi. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi BJP-led govt has been under severe attack from the opposition for the demolition of a few slum clusters in the past few months. While the govt claimed that the clusters were demolished on court orders, AAP accused BJP of going back on its electoral promise of "jahan jhuggi, wahan makan" and said govt could have moved court to stop people from being rendered homeless. Gupta said regular meetings were being held with various departments to provide permanent settlement to slum-dwellers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Emergency Generators in Speyside: (Prices May Surprise You) Emergency Generator | Search Ads Search Now Undo She added that the EWS houses were never allocated, rendering them uninhabitable over time. "The chief minister has announced that these flats will now be handed over to slum dwellers under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban. DUSIB and DSIIDC were allocated Rs 732 crore for housing, which remained unutilised and was to be returned to the Centre. Central govt has now approved their use for the renovation of these dilapidated flats," said an official. Gupta accused the previous govts of treating slum dwellers as a vote bank. "These settlements neither have drinking water nor roads, pavements, proper drainage and sewage system," CM said. AAP Delhi convener Saurabh Bharadwaj said CM and her party were "bluffing" the slum dwellers for many months now. "If Rekha Gupta is actually serious about what she is saying, she should ask central govt and its agencies to withdraw the cases against these JJ clusters in the high court and Supreme Court," Bharadwaj said. "On one hand, these agencies are going to the courts against poor people; on the other hand, they are not even providing them with any alternative places to live," he claimed.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Telangana aims for 50% green cover by 2047 in guv's climate push
1 2 Hyderabad: In a strong push for climate action, Telangana governor Jishnu Dev Varma has called for a focused three-pronged strategy to tackle climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs). The governor emphasised that such an approach would deliver significant benefits to the economy, the environment, and society at large. Echoing the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has united the global community on climate action and continues to lead efforts both domestically and internationally, the governor stressed the urgent need for coordinated action across key sectors. Jishnu Dev Varma underscored the importance of involving all relevant departments, including energy, transport, buildings, rural and urban development, industry, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in advancing renewable energy and accelerating energy efficiency initiatives. "Energy efficiency alone can contribute over 40% in mitigating climate change impacts," he noted. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad As part of this climate roadmap, the governor proposed an ambitious afforestation drive by the forest and environment department, with a long-term goal of increasing Telangana's green cover to 50% by 2047. He also called for mass awareness campaigns involving all stakeholders, both public and private, with a particular focus on women and students, to be conducted through schools, colleges, and universities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it better to shower in the morning or at night? Here's what a microbiologist says CNA Read More Undo These campaigns would promote energy conservation and sustainable practices. He further emphasised the need for institutional initiatives to drive policy and grassroots implementation of energy-efficient technologies. The governor also commended the concerted efforts of the ministry of power, particularly through the bureau of energy efficiency (BEE) and energy efficiency services (EESL), as well as the ministry of environment and climate change, for their ongoing support to state govts in deploying global best practices and clean technologies. He specifically praised Telangana's initiatives to engage women in the adoption of solar energy. As part of ongoing outreach efforts, A Chandra Sekhara Reddy, southern regional media adviser to the BEE, along with senior officers from EESL, briefed the governor on key developments in the field of energy efficiency. The standards & labelling (S&L) programme, which accounts for 60% of India's energy efficiency-related CO₂ reductions, is a vital component of India's commitment to cut one billion tonnes of emissions by 2030. Recognising the importance of institutional energy leadership, the governor recommended that EESL conduct a comprehensive energy audit at Raj Bhavan and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), Hyderabad, to assess the feasibility of transforming them into model energy-efficient campuses. He urged close coordination with the energy development agency for effective implementation.
