The distribution and dispatch of designated ballot boxes, ballot papers, special pens, and other sealed election materials to the State Legislative Assembly Secretariats, including those in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the UT of Puducherry, for the conduct of the Presidential Election 2022 scheduled for July 18 began on Tuesday by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
It’s interesting to note that a flight has been booked under the name “Mr. Ballot Box” to adhere to deadlines for the presidential elections.
Mr. Ballot Box plays a significant part in the presidential election process. Since it will decide who will occupy the highest position in the biggest democracy on earth, it is no ordinary box.
As a result, the required method requires extra care while storing and transporting these boxes. A fascinating voyage of the ballot boxes to reach every state capital is also a part of the procedure, especially for holding presidential elections.
The vote boxes are flown throughout the transportation on a separate air ticket purchased in the name of Mr. Ballot Box, who is seated in the first row of the aircraft next to the officer who is personally supervising the material transit.
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Today, ECI began distributing vote boxes, ballot paper, and other supplies to states; by July 14th, all 30 States/UTs and Parliament would have received them.
One senior official from the offices of the Chief Electoral Officers (CEO) of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh received the ballot boxes handed over to Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) today.
When election materials are collected, the AROs return to their respective States or UTs. The vote boxes are transported in the first row of the airplane next to the officer who is personally supervising the material transit on a separate flight ticket.
Rajiv Kumar, the chief election commissioner, stressed to the AROs that the ECI teams’ meticulous commitment to the rule had been their defining characteristic in delivering flawless elections time and time again.
He continued by saying that the ECI’s reliability in holding elections is due to a set of clear guidelines and standard operating procedures that must be meticulously to finish every electoral process.
“We will remain watchful and guarantee strict adherence to procedures and rules for transportation and storage of election materials, including ballot boxes and vote sheets,” Raghavendra, Joint CEO, Karnataka, said in a statement to ANI.
After the vote boxes are sent to the state capitals, according to NN Butolia, Senior Principal Secretary, they are kept there under intense video surveillance in previously sanitized and hermetically sealed strongrooms.
The polled and sealed vote boxes must be returned to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on the following aircraft after the July 18 election.
The boxes and other paperwork are carried physically into the airplane cabins, keeping accompanying cops in view. ECU has also appointed 37 observers to monitor the polling and counting procedures during elections, and a briefing meeting for these observers was also scheduled for July 11, 2022.
