The Election Commission (EC) will deploy drones for aerial surveillance around polling booths in Kolkata and its suburbs on election day. Officials held a series of meetings on Saturday to install additional CCTV cameras on all roads leading to the booths to prevent any foul play.
Enhanced Security Measures
The EC also decided to deploy additional body cameras for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel. Most of the drones and armoured vehicles will be concentrated in Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, and Hooghly—areas where incidents of violence were reported during the last elections, officials said.
A list of sensitive assembly segments, including Bhowanipore, has been prepared where drones are likely to be used based on the sensitivity of booths and tension on poll day. The drones will send real-time inputs to the Lalbazar control room for quick response. They can also capture footage if trouble mongers are present on rooftops. Kolkata Police also plans to use aerial surveillance through drones to monitor narrow lanes.
Proactive Steps to Ensure Voter Safety
Concerns that voters could be intimidated on their way to booths prompted the EC to take proactive steps. For booths in densely populated areas of Kolkata and Howrah, additional CCTV cameras have been installed so that monitoring from the control room can be done easily. If needed, quick response teams will be asked to move in.
With the second phase scheduled on April 29, drones will be deployed to monitor sensitive areas. Additional body cameras have been requisitioned for CAPF personnel. The drones will send inputs if there are large gatherings close to the booths, alerting sector officers.
