1. Sensorial - a Software for identification of Critical Polling Stations District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009 District – HOWRAH West Bengal

2. Objective - To identify the Critical Polling Stations by applying the criteria indicated by the Election Commission of India, and rank them in order of their criticality. rank them in order of their criticality. SO THAT SO THAT District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009 Deployment of Central Police Forces / Flying SquadsDeployment of Central Police Forces / Flying Squads Deployment of Micro Observers.Deployment of Micro Observers. Deployment of Videographers / PhotographersDeployment of Videographers / Photographers could be rationalized could be rationalized

3. Guiding Circulars of ECI - Letter No 464/INST/2007-PLN-I dated 12 th October, 2007 : Regarding Vulnerability Mapping.Letter No 464/INST/2007-PLN-I dated 12 th October, 2007 : Regarding Vulnerability Mapping. Letter No 464/INST/2008-EPS-I dated 24 th October, 2008 : Regarding Identification of Critical Polling Stations.Letter No 464/INST/2008-EPS-I dated 24 th October, 2008 : Regarding Identification of Critical Polling Stations. Letter No 447/2007/PLN/IV dated 17 th January, 2007 : Regarding Use of Videography and Digital Cameras.Letter No 447/2007/PLN/IV dated 17 th January, 2007 : Regarding Use of Videography and Digital Cameras. Letter No 464/INST/2008/EPS dated 24 th October, 2008 : Regarding Appointment of Micro Observers.Letter No 464/INST/2008/EPS dated 24 th October, 2008 : Regarding Appointment of Micro Observers. Letter No 464/INST/2008-EPS dated 24 th October, 2008 : Regarding Roll of Central Police ForcesLetter No 464/INST/2008-EPS dated 24 th October, 2008 : Regarding Roll of Central Police Forces District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

4. Polling Station detailsPolling Station details Non EPIC votersNon EPIC voters Missing voter without family linkageMissing voter without family linkage Vulnerable Hamlet detailsVulnerable Hamlet details Form 20 of 2004 and 2006 ElectionsForm 20 of 2004 and 2006 Elections Repoll dataRepoll data Data Used - District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

5. 1.Non-EPIC data: An analysis of the polling station wise number of voters without EPIC (non EPIC voters) have been made. The polling stations have been sorted in descending order in terms of number of non-EPIC voters in order to prioritize. 2.No of missing voters without family links: The existence of missing voters without family links offers a scope for misuse and malpractice. The number of voters coming under the this category have been analyzed polling station wise and the Polling Station with large number of such voters have been marked. For this purpose the total number of such missing voters without family linkage have been divided by the total number of polling stations to workout the assembly constituency average. Analyzing the deviation from the above the average, we have identified the polling stations with large number of such voters. 3.Vulnerability mapping of hamlets/villages/electoral segments vulnerable for threat and intimidation: Polling stations identified as having vulnerable pockets have been listed. Methodology - District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

6. Methodology - 4.Polling percentage more than 75% and where more than 75% of votes have been recorded in favour of one candidate in past general elections: - The polling station wise election results available in Form 20 with reference to the past general election have been analyzed. All such Polling Station where percentage of poll recorded is more than 75% and where more than 75% of votes have been recorded in favour of one candidate have been identified as critical polling station. 5.Repoll during the previous election: The polling stations that went for repoll during the previous election due to reported electoral malpractices; the polling stations that witnessed any sort of electoral violence have also been identified. 6.Observation by the Observer / DEO / SP: - Inputs from the Observers, DEO & SP have also been considered. District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

7. Total Marks assigned to each Polling Station :- 100Total Marks assigned to each Polling Station :- 100 Division of MarksDivision of Marks –Non EPIC Voters (% against total Voters) : 5 –Missing Voter without family Linkage: 5 –Vulnerability Mapping: 25 –Repoll (Nil): 0 –% of Poll Recorded in past Elections:10 –% of Poll Recorded in favour of one candidate in past Elections:10 –Special Marking (by Observer / DEO / SP):45 Process adopted - District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

8. Microsoft Access database has been used to store data in the backend. Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 has been used as front end interface. For reports Seagate Crystal Report 8.0 has been used.Microsoft Access database has been used to store data in the backend. Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 has been used as front end interface. For reports Seagate Crystal Report 8.0 has been used. Basic Requirements to run this softwareBasic Requirements to run this software –Computer (Pentium IV or higher) –Operating System (Windows 98 or higher) Application of Software - Sensorial Let’s see how it works District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

9. An application to facilitate the installation process has been developed. Upon inserting the autorun Installation CD into CD-ROM, the following screen appears: Installation - User Information: - The super user for this application is ADMIN and password is GUEST. Upon clicking the User Information button another form will appear to create new users. Install CAS Software Create DSN Configure DSN User Information District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

10. Once the installation is complete, now run the software from :- Start Menu -> Programs -> Criticality Analysis Software -> Criticality Analysis Software. A window will appear as follows:- Application - District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

11. District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

12. The Menus:- File MenuFile Menu –Log Off –Exit MastersMasters –Category Setting TransactionTransaction –Administrative Marks –Calculate Marks –Calculate Total Marks ReportsReports –AC wise Criticality –AC wise Criticality Details –AC Part wise Critical List –Mark Details –Statistics UtilityUtility –Change Password QuitQuit Application - District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

13. Application : Masters -> Category Setting The categories are selected from the combo box at the top. Then both the minimum and maximum value in a range are supplied along with the mark for that particular range. For example, for Non-EPIC, the percentage of such electors in the range 0 to 3 may be given mark 0 and for the range 3 to 5 mark may be 2 and for the rest i.e. 5 to 100 may be 3. The number of ranges may be as desired. District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

14. Criteria –1 (Out of 5) Non EPIC Voters (% against total Voters) Sl.No Minimum Value Maximum Value Marks 1030 2352 55>53 Criteria – 2 (Out of 5) Missing Voter without family linkage (% against total Voters)Sl.No Minimum Value Maximum Value Marks1030 2352 55>53 Application : Masters -> Category Setting District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

15. Criteria –3 (Out of 25) Vulnerability Mapping Criteria – 4 (Out of 10) % of Poll Recorded in past Elections Sl.No Minimum Value (No of Hamlets) Maximum Value (No of Hamlets) Marks 11>125 Sl.No Minimum Value Maximum Value Marks175%85%4 285%90%6 390%100%10 Application : Masters -> Category Setting District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

16. Criteria –5 (Out of 10) % of Poll Recorded in favour of one candidate in past Elections Criteria – 6 (Out of 45) Special Marking: This is incorporated with the idea that if any of the booth is Vulnerable according to the Observer or the D.M & D.E.O. or the S.P. Sl.No Minimum Value Maximum Value Marks 175%85%4 285%90%6 390%100%10 Sl.No Minimum Value Maximum Value Marks1 Application : Masters -> Category Setting District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

17. This is for providing administrative marks as per perception of the Observer, D.M & D.E.O., and S.P. Application : Transaction -> Administrative Marks District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

18. Application : Calculate Total Marks This for is used for calculating marks for each criteria as per specified ranges supplied earlier in the Category Setting form. This for is used for calculating the total marks of a Polling Station. District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

19. Application : Generation of Reports AC wise Criticality District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

20. AC wise details of Criticality Application : Generation of Reports District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

21. Conclusion : District Election Department, Howrah, West Bengal We had evolved this exercise and applied the software effectively for objectively identifying the critical Polling Stations (PS). The software enabled us to easily handle & prioritize the thousands of PS, even after application of several criteria / parameters set by Observers / DEO / SP. The application has proved to be very successful both technically and practically during the General Elections to the House of People – 2009 in respect of Howrah District. The most interesting and significant part of the project was the calculation of marks on dynamic ranges and generation of various reports as asked by the Observers and the authority concerned. Sharing Best Electoral Practices adopted in the Last General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2009

22. Thank You