GETTING READY FOR APRIL 30

After 26/11, Mumbai's voters are keen to keep their date with the polling station. With 36 days left, collectors in the city and suburbs are taking measures to ensure that voting in Mumbai remains peaceful and smooth

CALL FOR HELP
The collectorate has opened two telephone lines – 26513682 and 26513683 – where voters can call with queries. The numbers are toll free. "Operators will also help voters register their names and find if their names exist in the voting list. Two more lines will become operational soon," said N P Jadhav, deputy collector (election). He added that operators will attend calls between 10.30 am and 5 pm.
CCTVs TO THE RESCUE
Jadhav added that closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) will be installed at polling booths prone to trouble. "If there are any untoward incidents, CCTV footage will be used as evidence," said Jadhav. City collectorate I A Kundan added that 450 sensitive polling booths in South Mumbai – including Bhendi Bazar, Antop Hill and Ganesh Muthi Nagar in Colaba – have been identified. Cops will be deployed to prevent untoward incidents.
    Kundan said his staff has been removing illegal banners, posters and flags. "If a candidate wants to put up banners and paint private walls, he will have to get an NOC from the owner of the plot. Only then will we will give him permission," he said. Jadhav added that this year his department would take photographs of voters. "These pictures will be printed next to their names in time for the next election. Then it will be easy for us to identify voters and curb fraud," he said.
EC TO APPOINT MICRO OBSERVERS
The EC is going to appoint micro observers to monitor bogus voting. This is in addition to its earlier three observers – general, expenditure and law and order. Each will be entrusted with two assembly constituencies.
    If the voting percentage at a particular booth was above 75 per cent in the previous polls and a candidate got a similar percentage of votes, observers will ask for micro observers to be appointed at the booths. They will camp at the booths to monitor the voting and send a report to the Election Commission of India.
TRAINING WORKSHOPS
Jadhav said they had conducted training programmes for eight DCPs, 24 ACPs and 65 police inspectors. "We informed them about the model code of conduct and what crimes are common during the polls and under what sections should the accused be booked," he said. "We will arrange separate training programmes for them and also train them in how to instruct voters to use the electronic voting machines."