India’s General Elections 2009
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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
1
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