Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Thursday, 19 October 2017

Progress : of a doubtful kind ?



Indian Express ( 19 Oct ) carries following news report :


Not more than 1,400 voters per polling station: Election Commission



The Election Commission has decided that the number of voters per polling station should not exceed 1,400 as the paper roll attached to the paper trail machine cannot print more than 1,500 slips and attaching a new roll when polling is on is a cumbersome process.


In an order issued to its officials in all states, the commission has said that since the thermal paper roll used in the VVPAT (voter-verifiable paper audit trail) machines can print approximately 1,500 slips, it has been decided that the “maximum number of electors to be assigned to any polling station shall not exceed 1,400”.


The poll panel explained that nearly 100 slips are printed during commissioning of the paper trail machines and during mock poll. Since a little over 1,400 slips can be printed per roll after that, the number of voters should not exceed 1400.


It believes the process of replacing the paper roll can be cumbersome when voting is on. All polling stations in Himachal Pradesh assembly polls will have paper trail machines.




What will this mean in terms of additional expenditure ?



It is reported that the Election Commission has asked for additional amount of Rs 3174 crores for purchase of VVPAT machines



Could this decision lead to a huge increase in the Number of Polling Booths  ?



During 2014 general elections , we had :



#   814.5 million eligible voters

     ( an increase of 100 million over 2009 election )
     Extrapolating , in 2019 election , we could end up with another addition of 100
     million voters , taking the total to 914 million !


     At no more than 1400 voters per booth , those additional 100 million voters could ,
    Well require another 71,400 polling booths


    But , since , many booths may have far less than 1400 voters , we may end up
   requiring 80,000 booths


   In 2014 elections , we had 930,000 booths .  Add another 80 ,000  !




1.4 million EVM

    For those additional polling booths , we would need another 80,000 EVM  !



989  Counting Booths

    How many more would we need in 2019 ?



Rs 30,000 crores

   ( total combined election expenditure ( estimated )
   ( Govt + Parties + Candidates )


   It would be safe to assume that this would go up to Rs 40,000 crores in 2019



11,00,000  Personnel

    Expect this figure to swell to , at least 12 lakh persons

=================================

If we just implement mobile app  “  VotesApp “ , not only we could save nearly all of the expenditure on part of the government ( - and even enable the government to earn Rs 20,000 crores ) , we could manage the entire exercise in just ONE DAY and declare the results by 7 pm on the same day !



Cannot believe ?  You will , after reading :



“Election  Reforms “  Summarized  [  18  Aug  2017  ]


19  Oct  2017



     

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