Latest news with #ECINETApp
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Election Commission announces new system for timely voter turnout reporting
The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced a new system Tuesday to minimize the time lag associated with the earlier manual method, according to a press release issued by the poll body. The new system will reduce delays and increase transparency in the sharing of approximate voter turnout data during elections. People familiar with the development said the commission will implement the process during the upcoming Bihar elections through the ECINET application--a one-stop digital interface that aims to integrate more than 40 of ECI's existing mobile and web applications. The commission stated that the change was aimed at ensuring timely public communication via the Voter Turnout (VTR) App, though it emphasised that the data-sharing process is not backed by statute and functions purely as a facilitative measure. Also Read: Petitioners urge poll panel to refuse RS election nominations by AIADMK 'Under this new initiative, the presiding officer of each polling station will now be directly entering voter turnout on the new ECINET App every two hours on polling day to reduce the time lag in the updation of the approximate polling trends. This will be automatically aggregated at the constituency level. The approximate voting percentage trends will continue to be published every two hours before [reducing the time taken to update the exact voting percentage at a later stage],' the commission said in its release. The VTR App, built by the commission in 2019, is used to share aggregated approximate voter turnout data. Previously, sector magistrates or officers--each covering 10-12 polling stations--collected the voter turnout data manually and relayed it to Returning Officers, who are in charge of one or two constituencies and responsible for declaring elected candidates. This was done via phone calls, SMS, or messaging apps and the data was then aggregated every two hours and uploaded to the App. However, polling percentage trends were often updated hours later due to physical records arriving late at night or even the next day. Under the statutory framework of the Conduct of Elections Rules, the Presiding Officers are required to furnish Form 17C--which details the account of votes recorded--to booth-level agents nominated by political parties, who are present at the polling station at the close of polls. 'Notably, voter turnout data will now be entered into ECINET by Presiding Officers immediately after the close of poll, before they leave the polling station, which will reduce the delays and ensure that the updated approximate percentage of votes polled would be available...[however, the process is] subject to network connectivity. Where mobile networks are unavailable, entries can be made offline and synced once connectivity is restored', the poll watchdog said. The commission explained that after the polls, the safe depositing of EVMs and election papers in strongrooms is prioritised. Once complete, the returning officers will then collect voter turnout data from Presiding Officers of each polling booth and begin entering the close of poll data into the VTR App. '[In this process] the updated voter turnout starts continuously reflecting on the VTR App again from 7 pm onwards. [Also] polling teams come from varying distances and face different logistical challenges, such as late-hour voting trends, difficult geographical and weather conditions, communication issues, and tough terrain. As a result, voter turnout data is received at different times in the evening of polling day, sometimes overnight, and occasionally even the next day,' the commission had said.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
EC mulls tech-driven system for timely update on voter turnout
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is now introducing a streamlined, technology-driven system to provide timely updates on the approximate voter turnout percentage trends. As per official sources, the new process will reduce the time lag associated with the earlier manual reporting methods. The initiative aligns with ECI's commitment to ensure timely public communication, which has often been underlined by the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar on various occasions. Under the statutory framework of Rule 49S of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, Presiding Officers (PROs) are required to furnish Form 17C, detailing the account of votes recorded, to polling agents, who are nominated by the candidates and are present at the polling station at the close of poll. While this legal requirement remains unchanged, the process of updating the VTR App, which had evolved as a facilitative, non-statutory mechanism to keep the public informed of the approximate voter turnout percentage trends is being streamlined to ensure faster updation. Under this new initiative, the Presiding Officer (PRO) of each polling station, will now be directly entering voter turnout on the new ECINET App every two hours on polling day in order to reduce the time lag in the updation of the approximate polling trends. This will be automatically aggregated at the constituency level. The approximate voting percentage trends will continue to be published every two hours as before. Notably, voter turnout data will now be entered into ECINET by PROs immediately after the close of poll, before they leave the polling station which will reduce the delays and ensure that the approximate percentage of votes polled would be available on the updated VTR App constituency-wise after the close of polls subject to network connectivity. Where mobile networks are unavailable, entries can be made offline and synced once connectivity is restored. This updated VTR App will become an integral part of ECINET before the Bihar elections. Previously, voter turnout data was collected manually by Sector Officers and relayed to Returning Officers (ROs) via phone calls, SMS, or messaging apps. This information was aggregated every two hours and uploaded to the Voter Turnout (VTR) App. The polling percentage trends were often updated hours later, based on physical records arriving late in the night or even the next day, leading to delays of 4–5-hours or more leading to misperceptions by some.
News18
4 days ago
- Business
- News18
Faster Voter Turnout Updates: Election Commission Enables Polling Stations To Upload Data Directly
Last Updated: The PRO of each polling station will directly enter voter turnout on the new ECINET App every two hours on polling day There will be no more delay in voter turnout announcement by the Election Commission of India (ECI) as the poll body has allowed the Presiding Officer (PRO) of each polling station to directly enter voter turnout on the new ECINET App every two hours. The new initiative will reduce the time lag in the update of the approximate polling trends. This comes ahead of the Bihar assembly polls, scheduled for later this year. 'The Election Commission of India is now introducing a streamlined, technology-driven system to provide timely updates on the approximate voter turnout percentage trends. This new process significantly reduces the time lag associated with the earlier manual reporting methods," an official statement reads. The initiative is among the reforms introduced by the Commission, under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. What The Rule Says Under the statutory framework of Rule 49S of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, Presiding Officers (PROs) are required to furnish Form 17C, detailing the account of votes recorded, to polling agents, who are nominated by the candidates and are present at the polling station at the close of poll. While this legal requirement remains unchanged, the process of updating the VTR App, which had evolved as a facilitative, non-statutory mechanism to keep the public informed of the approximate voter turnout percentage trends is being streamlined to ensure faster updation. Under this new initiative, the PRO of each polling station will directly enter voter turnout on the new ECINET App every two hours on polling day in order to reduce the time lag in the update of the approximate polling trends. This will be automatically aggregated at the constituency level. The approximate voting percentage trends will continue to be published every two hours as before. Also at the close of the polls, the PRO will immediately enter the voter turnout data on ECINET before they leave the polling station. This will reduce the delays and ensure that the approximate percentage of votes polled will be available on the updated VTR App constituency-wise after the close of polls subject to network connectivity. Where mobile networks are unavailable, entries can be made offline and synced once connectivity is restored. This updated VTR App will become an integral part of ECINET before the Bihar elections. So far, voter turnout data was collected manually by Sector Officers and relayed to Returning Officers (ROs) via phone calls, SMS, or messaging apps. This information was aggregated every two hours and uploaded to the Voter Turnout (VTR) App. The polling percentage trends were often updated hours later, based on physical records arriving late in the night or even the next day, leading to delays of 4–5 hours or more, which led to public misperceptions. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, this issue was raised by a number of political parties as on some occasions, the voter turnout was announced the next day due to the delay. The reform, ahead of the Bihar polls, will help the commission in announcing the voter turnout on time. First Published: June 03, 2025, 21:21 IST
India Gazette
4 days ago
- General
- India Gazette
Election Commission to upgrade VTR sharing process to ensure timely updates
New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday announced to introduce a new technology-driven system to provide more timely and accurate updates on voter turnout trends. The initiative, called the Voter Turnout Ratio (VTR), will be integrated into the ECINET app and allow Presiding Officers (PROs) at each polling station to enter voter turnout data directly every two hours on polling day. 'Under this new initiative, the Presiding Officer (PRO) of each polling station, will now be directly entering voter turnout on the new ECINET App every two hours on polling day in order to reduce the time lag in the updation of the approximate polling trends. This will be automatically aggregated at the constituency level. The approximate voting percentage trends will continue to be published every two hours as before,' the ECI said in a statement. According to ECI, the new VTR sharing process reduces the time lag associated with earlier manual reporting methods. However, the legal requirement to detail the account of votes recorded by the polling agents remains unchanged. 'Under the statutory framework of Rule 49S of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, Presiding Officers (PROs) are required to furnish Form 17C, detailing the account of votes recorded, to polling agents, who are nominated by the candidates and are present at the polling station at the close of poll. While this legal requirement remains unchanged, the process of updating the VTR App, which had evolved as a facilitative, non-statutory mechanism to keep the public informed of the approximate voter turnout percentage trends is being streamlined to ensure faster updation,' the ECI said. The PROs will enter the voter turnout data into the ECINET app after the closing of poll, which would reduce the delays and ensure that approximate percentage of votes polled would be available on the updated VTR app constituency-wise. 'Where mobile networks are unavailable, entries can be made offline and synced once connectivity is restored. This updated VTR App will become an integral part of ECINET before the Bihar elections,' it said. Earlier, sector officers collected voter turnout data manually and passed it on to Returning Officers (ROs) via phone calls, SMS, or messaging apps. 'This information was aggregated every two hours and uploaded to the Voter Turnout (VTR) App. The polling percentage trends were often updated hours later, based on physical records arriving late in the night or even the next day, leading to delays of 4-5-hours or more leading to misperceptions by some,' it added. (ANI)
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Election Commission to introduce new system for timely & accurate updates on voter turnout trends
New Delhi:The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday announced to introduce a new technology-driven system to provide more timely and accurate updates on voter turnout trends. The initiative, called the Voter Turnout Ratio (VTR), will be integrated into the ECINET app and allow Presiding Officers (PROs) at each polling station to enter voter turnout data directly every two hours on polling day. "Under this new initiative, the Presiding Officer (PRO) of each polling station, will now be directly entering voter turnout on the new ECINET App every two hours on polling day in order to reduce the time lag in the updation of the approximate polling trends. This will be automatically aggregated at the constituency level. The approximate voting percentage trends will continue to be published every two hours as before," the ECI said in a statement. According to ECI, the new VTR sharing process reduces the time lag associated with earlier manual reporting methods. However, the legal requirement to detail the account of votes recorded by the polling agents remains unchanged. "Under the statutory framework of Rule 49S of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, Presiding Officers (PROs) are required to furnish Form 17C, detailing the account of votes recorded, to polling agents, who are nominated by the candidates and are present at the polling station at the close of poll. While this legal requirement remains unchanged, the process of updating the VTR App, which had evolved as a facilitative, non-statutory mechanism to keep the public informed of the approximate voter turnout percentage trends is being streamlined to ensure faster updation," the ECI said. The PROs will enter the voter turnout data into the ECINET app after the closing of poll, which would reduce the delays and ensure that approximate percentage of votes polled would be available on the updated VTR app constituency-wise. "Where mobile networks are unavailable, entries can be made offline and synced once connectivity is restored. This updated VTR App will become an integral part of ECINET before the Bihar elections," it said. Earlier, sector officers collected voter turnout data manually and passed it on to Returning Officers (ROs) via phone calls, SMS, or messaging apps. "This information was aggregated every two hours and uploaded to the Voter Turnout (VTR) App. The polling percentage trends were often updated hours later, based on physical records arriving late in the night or even the next day, leading to delays of 4-5-hours or more leading to misperceptions by some," it added.
