Kolkata: A move that could disappoint many, especially the first time voters, Election Commission of India (EC) has banned taking of selfies or self portraits inside the polling booths.
Aware of the fact that many voters will be keen to take a picture of their participation in the “democratic process” for posterity, while standing in front of voting machines, the EC has warned against such pranks.
“The use of mobile phones inside polling booths has been banned by the election commission, Even if voters carry mobile phones, they have to hand them over to the returning officer or polling officers at the booths,” a deputy commission of the poll panel told Gulf News over phone.
He added that selfies clicked in polling booths and posted on social networking sites is a violation of the Representation of the People Act. The Act stipulates imprisonment up to three months.
“However, voters are free to take selfies outside the polling booth or display their inked finger to the media after stepping out of the booth. But any attempt inside the polling station will be punishable under law,” the official said.
EC is forced to take this decision, after it found that many has taken such selfies and posted them on the social media sites, which categorically showed which party they voted for.
“It’s human to want to be with the winning side. If a person sees a number of his friends voting for a particular party, he or she will be influenced either thinking that his or her choice is wrong or the vote is simply wasted as the candidate will not win. This goes against the principal of free and fair election,” the official clarified.
However, EC has not restricted any political content in the form of messages, comments, photos, videos on blogs, social media and would not treat it as political advertisement.
“There is no ban on such, but any message that intimidates voters will be acted upon,” the official informed.
The poll panel has also launched its own internet-based media arm called ‘Voter Education Channel’. Numerous video clips featuring iconic personalities urging citizens to vote have been uploaded on the channel and can be viewed on social media platform ‘YouTube’.
While the first clip showcases a recorded speech of Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath asking voters to exercise their voting right, a number of other video links have sport persons like M.S. Dhoni, Saina Nehwal and MC Mary Kom urging the young and the old to go for the most important right of an Indian citizen — that of the vote.
Some of the — links of the ‘EC Channel’ give details about the procedures deployed to use the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and their functioning.
