Expert videographers have been assigned by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to record the polling process in ‘shadow zones’ during the upcoming two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal. These areas face poor mobile network and Internet connectivity, making online surveillance challenging for the Commission. The videographers, accompanied by central armed police force (CAPF) personnel, will ensure uninterrupted recording despite potential disruptions.
The recorded videography will be transmitted periodically from nearby “non-shadow zones” to district control rooms for scrutiny by ECI-appointed observers. Based on this assessment, the Commission will determine if re-polling is necessary in any booth within these shadow zones. A total of 625 such shadow zones have been identified by the Commission, primarily in remote hilly terrains, tribal areas, and thickly forested regions across various districts of West Bengal.
The Commission’s decision to reduce the number of counting centers for the upcoming elections reflects strategic planning, with 87 centers designated compared to 90 in 2016 and 108 in 2021. South 24 Parganas will host the highest number of counting centers at 12, followed by North 24 Parganas and Hooghly. Conversely, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, and Jhargram will have only one center each.
