EC formulates measures against bogus voting

To check bogus voting, Election Commission (EC) has directed officers concerned to carry out proper identification of the electors at the polling stations on the voting day. In a letter to chief electoral officer (CEO) Umesh Sinha, secretary, EC Sumit Mukherjee said the commission has issued the directions to keep impersonators at bay.

Elaborating on the identification procedure, Mukherjee said, “When a voter arrives at the polling station to cast his vote, the first polling officer would verify his/her identity by checking the electoral roll, photo identity card and other documents prescribed by the EC.”

Once this is done, the second polling officer would put mark on his/her left forefinger with the indelible ink, Mukherjee said, adding, “The third polling officer would hand over the voter slip to the elector after examining his/her finger to ensure the ink is duly applied and not erased.”

The polling officer would also ensure that sufficient time has elapsed since application of the ink mark so that it dries up completely by the time he/she leaves the polling station. “Only when the indelible ink is properly applied, the voter would put signature or thumb mark on the register,” Mukherjee said. Recently, some social organisations as well as the media had brought to the notice of the EC the irregularities in the elector roll and plan of some candidates to indulge in bogus voting.