Innovative Practices in Election Security Management

INNOVATIVE PRACTICES IN ELECTION SECURITY MANAGEMENT

SMS bases two-way communication between command and the force

Abhijit Bora Superintendent of Police Dibrugarh : Assam 1. Introduction

Free and fair elections are competitive events with unpredictable outcomes and confrontation is inherent to the process. Elections in the democratic process are remarkably high profile and vulnerable to manipulation, and yet critical to legitimacy of governance. The largest democratic election in the history i.e., election to the fifteenth loksabha involved intensive security preparedness for more than 3 months.

The security management involves various aspects like protective cover to candidates and party functionaries, countering the intimidation & threats to vulnerable sections and protectees enforcement of model code of conduct, criminal justice administration in election related offences and creating an atmosphere where a free and fair election takes place. In states affected by insurgency and terrorism, it is the duty of security forces to thwart any attempt of anti-democratic forces to sabotage the election process. Coupled with regular time tested policing, the security forces shall have to live up to the expectations which require a flawless command structure enhanced by an effective communication system. The strength of ECI EVMs is that it is a fully standalone machine & is not part of any network.

Therefore leaves no possibility of hacking & hence the Hon’ble Karnataka High

Court has hailed it as a “national pride”. But it also imposed a limitation on use of any network technology in the EVM. Hence an alternative networking platform using mobile phone needs to be develop to effectively harness. The available communication facilities & the networking technology to further improve the reliability, accuracy & trustworthiness of the electoral process. Mobile phones have made a bigger difference to the lives of more people, more quickly than any previous communications technology. They have spread fastest & prove the easiest & cheapest to adopt. It is estimated that among 3.6 billion people currently have cell phones & 6 billion will have them in 2013. In the year upto March 2009 an additional

128 million signed up in India (The Economist 2009). This paper deals with an idea of an alternative communication system using now popular & commonplace SMS facility via mobile telephony.

2. Material and methods: The election control room shall be equipped with a desktop computer with tailor made software that connects the computer with mobile phones of all the functionaries of security forces associated with the election process. Validation of phone nos. are to be done initially to recognize the user. A coded language shall be developed in order to maintain secrecy and to reduce the length of SMS. Training shall be imparted to various functionaries of security forces associated with the election process to sent formatted SMS.

3. Implementation:

3.1 Poll Preparedness: Around 20-25 days of time are required for issuing notification, nominations, scrutiny, campaign. These days are marked by intense & hectic political activity. The security personnel in the field shall be aware of violation of the model code of conduct & the RP Act, IPC provisions etc. The awareness can be generated by regular dispatch of SMS alerts which is instantaneous & intelligence and feedback regarding implementation of the same can be received via SMS in the coded language which would be automatically updated in the computer. The software is designed in such a way that the up-dation is against individual sectors, which gives the nodal officer a clear idea of the performance of the field staff. 3.2 During Poll: It involves detailment of personnel to individual polling stations,

sectors and zones. Information can be sent directly to the concerned personnel

regarding his/her detailment. Their respective poll parties, place of assembly before

departure, movement can be accurately guided.

The information regarding the movement of poll parties, arrival of poll parties at

Polling stations, conduct of mock poll, start of poll, interruption of poll, incidents,

requirement of additional force, presence of CPMF, Micro observer, Video camera,

completion of poll, departure of poll parties from polling stations can be collected

instantaneously.

3.3 Event reporting: The SMS based information from field functionaries (BLC)

Booth level constables) will be received at the control room with time stamp. The

tailor made software decodes the SMS and displays the contents in normal

sentence.

a) Phone No. Validation: The database of phone nos. of functionaries associated with election is updated, registered and validated in the computer set up for the purpose in the control room. b) SMS alerts on Information related to model code of conduct and RP Act, IPC : Short messages can be sent to various field functionaries to create awareness on model code of conduct RP Act & IPC provision. c) Feedback from field staff during pre-election period:

SMS syntax Normal Sentence that automatically generated in computer NBWE1NBWP32BO2PM3I1CR1AR1 Non-bailable warrants executed-1 (25 Characters) Non-bailable warrants pending-32 Bind over under CrPC Sec. 107/116-2 Party meetings-3 Incidents-1 Cases registed-1 Arrested persons-1 IH1PFRDJNPOLS Incident happened. One platoon force (11 characters) required at Duliajan Police Station. d) Detailment:

SMS syntax To be interpreted as… UBC338-DHARMESWAR KONWAR-115 Name: UBC Dharmeswar Konwar MORAN-6 NO.PS-CHALKHOWA MIRI Detailed to work at: 115 Moran LAC, LP SCHOOL–SO-ASI LAKHI CHETIA- No.6 Polling Station which at Chalkhowa 9854861557-ZO-M.SARMAH-9864703719- Miri LP School R 21APR-1400-FC-CDG-DBR Sector Officer: ASI Lakhi Chetia with (145 CHARACTERS) Mobile No. 9854861557 Zonal Officer: M.Sarmah with Mobile No.9864703719 You are requested to report on 21st April at 2pm at felicitation counter in Chowkidingee field, Dibrugarh

e) Tracking poll parties:

SMS syntax Normal Sentence PPDEPD Poll party departed PPARR Poll party arrived YPAYCPMFNMOYVC Polling Agents present, CPMF present,

Micro observer absent, Video camera

present YMPC Mock poll conducted YPS Poll Started YPPD Polling Party Departed The software arranges the messages into assorted grids by identifying mobile no.

4. Expenditure: The expenditure involved is minimal. A desktop computer and

cost of making software and GSM/GPRS based modem (approx.Rs.15000)

5. Proposed outcomes and Impact:

1. Reduced burden on traditional Police wireless. Repeater stations and extra staff

are not at all required.

2. Information is instantaneous in either way.

3. Information can be sent to all the stake holders with a click of the mouse. 4. More time for response as the time consumed to send information is virtually nil.

5. Monitoring can be fine tuned & the minutest of details can be monitored. Close

watch on all the polling stations for conducting free, fair & peaceful elections.

6. Consumes very less labour

7. Management of vast data base is very easy

8. Documentation of all events and reports which can not be doctored is easy.

9. Cuts down expenditure in stationery, travel

10. Communication is effective as intermediaries are avoided and possible undesirable communications are absolutely not possible.

6. Conclusion: The proposed system provides scope for adding many features and can be integrated with other monitoring systems at district level. With the rapidly expanding mobile coverage, it is feasible in Indian scenario, which cuts down cost and improves operational efficiency to a great extent

The application would be developed with the assistance of the NIC & would be verifiable & maintain exhaustive audit trail & would conform to three tier security in access control, database level security & application level transaction logging. During the referendum on Independence in Montenegro on May 21st 2006, the centre for Democratic Transition (CDT) a NGO became the first group to use mobile phones for all reporting required to oversee an election. Since then, seven other countries have followed suit. The latest being Sierra Leone in August’ 2007

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