EC Prepares For Presidential Polls As Ballot Boxes, Special Pens Dispatched To Destinations

Air tickets were booked in the name of "Mr Ballot Box" on Tuesday to several destinations, including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Puducherry for the presidential election to be conducted on July 18.

Election Commission building

The process for the election of the 16th President of India has gained momentum as the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday dispatched election related materials to several destinations acroos the country, reported news agency ANI. Interestingly, air tickets were booked in the name of "Mr Ballot Box" to meet the timeline for the presidential election.

The EC has started the process of distributing and dispatching ballot boxes, ballot papers, special pens and other election materials to the State Legislative Assembly Secretariats including National Capital Territory of Delhi and UT of Puducherry for conducting the presidential election scheduled on July 18, reported news agency ANI.

What is significance of flying 'Mr Ballot Box' ?

In fact, air tickets were booked in the name of "Mr Ballot Box" Tuesday to several destinations, including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Puducherry for the presidential election, reported ANI. Mr Ballot box is not any ordinary box as it plays a prominent role in the election process. The box holds the fate of the highest office of the largest democracy on the planet.

Hence, the mandated procedure is followed by special caution at the time of transportation, storage, and use of these boxes. The process regarding the conduct of presidential election involves a fascinating journey of ballot boxes travelling every state capital.

At the time of transportation, the ballot boxes fly on a separate air ticket booked in the name of Mr Ballot Box placed in the front row of aircraft along with the officer transporting the materials under his supervision.

The EC has already started sending Ballot boxes, ballot papers and other materials to states today and by 14 July it is expected to sent to all 30 States/UTs.

On Wednesday, the Ballot boxes were given to Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) including a senior officer from the office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. The AROs will reach their respective States/UTs on the same day as the collection of election materials.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar while speaking to the AROs said that strict adherence to the procedures by the ECI teams has become its hallmark in delivering error-free elections time and again, according to the ANI report. He elaborated on the well-defined instructions and standard operating procedures that are required to be followed thoroughly to complete every electoral process 

Ballot papers for presidential elections are stored and sealed in rooms which are monitored by video cameras. On the completion of poll, sealed ballot boxes and other election materials have to be transported back to the Office of Returning Officer, that is the Rajya Sabha Secretariat in the next available flight, according to the India Today report.

The boxes and other documents are carried personally in the aircraft cabins, never out of sight of accompanying officers. ECU has also appointed 37 observers for overseeing the arrangements of polling and counting during elections 

(With ANI inputs)