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India’s General Elections 2009

Navin B. ChawlaChief Election Commissioner of India

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G.E 2009

• India just concluded its General Elections to the

Lower House of the Parliament

• This was the 15th General Elections to the Lok

Sabha

• There were simultaneous elections to State

Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh,

Orissa and Sikkim

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The Scale

• The General Elections in the largest democracy

in the world would mean

Enrolling 714 million voters

Setting up of 8,34,944 Polling Stations

Mobilizing 1.18 million Electronic Voting Machines

Direct use of 11 m personnel

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The Electorate

Population Electorate

Entire Europe (50 Countries ) - 731 m 449 m

Entire Africa (54 Countries ) - 922 m 566 m

North America (41 Countries ) - 528 m 324 m

South America (15 Countries ) - 382 m 235 m

N&S. America (56 Countries ) - 910 m 560 m

India - 1,163 m 714 m

Commonwealth (52 countries ex - 900 m approx

India)

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The Electorate

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The Complexities

• It’s not just size and magnitude. It is about:

Democracy even at the remotest locations

Separate polling station for a lone voter

12 men trekking 45 km in knee-deep snow to

reach a polling stations with 37 voters

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The Complexities…..2

Using elephants, camels, boats, cycles,

helicopters, trains to ferry EVMs and polling teams

Countrywide ‘vulnerability mapping’

Tracking information from each polling stations

Dealing with Regional, Religious, Ethnic, Cultural

and Linguistic Diversities

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G.E 2009: The Electorate

• 714 m voters enrolled

43 million more than 2004 (2 X Population of

Australia)

Photo Electoral Rolls introduced country-wide

The images of at least 82% of the electors (582 m)

printed on the rolls

- Good deterrence against impersonation

• Booth Level Officer (BLO) System introduced to

ensure fidelity of ERs at doorsteps.

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G.E.2009: The Ballot Field

• Number of Parliamentary Constituencies: 543

• Total Candidates : 8070

• Male Candidates: 7514

• Female Candidates: 556

• % of Female Candidates: 6.9

• Most Candidates: 43 (Chennai South PC, Tamilnadu)

• Least Candidates : 3 in (Nagaland PC in Nagaland)

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GE 2009: Polling Stations

• 834,944 Polling Stations

• Following Delimitation, PS locations rationalized

Aimed at voter convenience

Prevention of threat and intimidation of voters

• More than 100,000 new PSs created

• A PS in Gir forest only for one voter

PSs with two voters and three voters each

• A PS at Auley Phu at 15,300 ft above MSL in Leh,

Ladakh

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GE 2009: The Poll Personnel

• Over 11 Million Personnel deployed

4.69 m at Polling Stations

4.5 m supervisory, intermediary and supportive

2 million State / District Police and Home Guards

Over 1,00,000 CPF used on each poll day

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GE 2009: The Logistics

• Huge increase in Candidates created logistical

nightmare

• 119 Special Trains / 3060 coaches for movement of CPF

• 6800 security personnel were airlifted over-flying

Bangladesh to avoid delay

• 55 Helicopters used, 601 sorties to take polling staff/

EVM to remote locations and for evacuations in the

Maoist Extremism infected areas

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Monitoring Mechanism

• 2046 Observers monitored the campaign process,

election expenditure by the candidates, poll day

events, post-poll document verification and the

counting process

• 140,000 micro-observers deployed at sensitive

PSs

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The New Strategies

• Growing complexities, multi-cultural and plural

sensitivities necessitate constant innovation:

● Vulnerability Mapping

● COMET

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Vulnerability Mapping

• VM – A response to threat and intimidation of

voters

• 86,782 villages / hamlets identified as vulnerable

• 373,886 persons identified as potential trouble

makers

• Preventive measures taken

• Video-graphers : 74,729

• Digital cameras : 40,599

• Hardly any complaint of threat and intimidation

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COMET(Communication for Election

Tracking)

• Direct connectivity with all PSs (landline

telephones, mobile phones, HF, VHF wireless

networks, Sat phones and even runners)

• Proved an effective tool for tracking poll day

events

• Deterrent for trouble makers

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Elections in Extremism Affected Areas

• The Maoist extremism - a growing concern

• Conducting elections in the Naxalite affected areas a

security nightmare for poll staff and voters who defy

the ‘boycott’ calls of Naxals

• Most Naxal affected Constituencies taken up in Phase

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To ensure maximum area domination of areas heavily

mined with IED

To prevent cross border movement of Naxals

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Elections in Extremism Affected Areas...2

• 79 constituencies: 118,604 polling stations

• Relocation of polling stations wherever needed

• Changed the poll time to suit the security

requirement

• Elaborate advance security measures in place

• 19 deaths on poll day one

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Every Vote Counts: A Case Study

• PS at Ralakung has 23 voters, at Phema 14

voters

• Polling teams could not be airlifted by Air Force

Helicopters due to adverse weather

• On 12 May, two teams of six persons each set

out on a historic journey

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Every Vote Counts: A Case Study…2

• The teams had to cross a pass called Ralakung

La at 16500 ft and then descend to reach the PSs

at Phema(13800 ft) and Ralakung (13500 ft)

• The polling teams went with porters, sat phone

• 48 hours of walking in knee-deep snow

• The polling took place on 15th May

• Both PSs recorded 100% voting

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Every Vote Counts: A Case Study…3

• Countrywide counting on May 16. The Commission had the following choices: Postpone the entire counting in full constituency Wait for the arrival of these two EVMs only if the

winning margin is lesser than 37, otherwise declare the result

• The Commission went for a different option Declared one Presiding officer as ARO and authorized

him to do the counting Communicate outcome using sat phone

● Thus, the 37 votes recorded on 15 May became the first votes to be counted in the country

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GE 2009 – Counting

• Total Counting Halls : 4,260

• Total Counting Centres : 1,080

• Counting Staff deployed : 178,920

• Supervisory / data staff : 20,000

• Micro-observer at every table : 59,640

• Videography of proceedings of counting

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GE 2009 – Mishaps

• Deaths – 37 Violence – 23 Accidents – 14

• Mine Blasts• Firing• EVMs looted / vandalised• Poll parties kidnapped• Train hijacked (Laldera, Jharkhand) demanding

compensation for Naxal deaths

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The Times of India 15.05.09

Indian Express 16.05.09

Hindustan Times 19.5.09

Hindustan Times 19.05.09

Asian Age 14.05.09

Media Response

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Media Response• “It is truly the greatest show on Earth, an ode to a diverse and democratic

ethos….an inspiration to all the World”

- V Mitchell, New York Times

May 22, 2009

Indian voters show the way forward

Financial Times, London, May 17, 2009

• Leading article: India confirms its status as a democratic beacon …Yet for this chaotic nation - with its almost unfathomable religious, linguistic and social diversity - not only to hold free and fair elections but also to deliver stable government is a truly remarkable achievement. 

The Independent, London, May 19, 2009

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GE 2009 - Glimpses…

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Photo Gallery - Elections 2009

Officials checking EVMs and polling materials

Officials carrying EVMs and polling

materials

A group of Villagers with EPI cards Officials carrying EVMs and polling

materials

Electors going to exercise their

Franchise

An Elector familiarizing himself regarding

functioning of EVM

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Photo Gallery - Elections 2009

An elder on way to cast her vote

Electors waiting in Q

Indelible ink being marked on elector’s

finger

Physically challenged casting

her vote

Prime Minister of India after casting his vote

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Thank You