1. SHARING BEST ELECTORAL PRACTICES 1

2. No. of Districts: 2 1. Puducherry : (Puducherry, Mahe & Yanam) 2. Karaikal: ( Karaikal) Lone parliamentary constituency Assembly Constituencies: 30 1. Puducherry : 23 2. Karaikal: 5 3. Mahe : 1 4. Yanam: 1 Unique feature : Constituencies spread across various neighboring states. Union Territory of Puducherry 2

3. Election Machinery Election Department 1. Chief Electoral Officer : Shri. BELATEE PERTIN 2. Jt. Chief Electoral Officer: Shri. G. SRINIVAS Returning Officers & District Election Officers 1. Returning officer for Puducherry Parliamentary constituency –cum– District Election Officer for Puducherry District : Shri. G.RAGESH CHANDRA Special Secretary to Govt. -cum - Collector, Puducherry 2. District Election Officer for Karaikal District : Dr. N. VASANTHAKUMAR Collector, Karaikal 3

4. Size of Electorate  100% inclusion of voters - No duplicate entry of voters. 100% error free E. Roll resulted in 100% polling in few booths. Example in Yanam Sub-Division.  100% door to door verification involving local village officers, BLOs and Local Panchayatars, Welfare officers, to weed out duplicate of entries in E.Roll.  Newly developing areas given special attention to ensure 100% inclusion.  Awareness campaign in the Educational institutions to create awareness on the necessity to enroll in the ER to ensure participation of the new generation in democratic process.  100% EPIC Coverage.  100% Photo coverage in PER.  Simultaneous issue of EPIC to voters included in the 2nd supplement and delivered at their door step involving Village officers. General Service VotersTotal Men 366788285367073 Women 395240127395367 Total 762028412762440 4

5. Assembly Constituencies : 2006 - 2 phases Phase-I : 03.05.2006 Phase-II : 08.05.2006 Voters Turn out in % : 85.46 Parliamentary Constituency : 2009 - single phase Phase : 13.05.2009 Voters Turn out in % : 79.81 Women’s participation in the Parliamentary Election : 79.77% Total No. of Polling Stations : 851(Urban 504; Rural-347) Last Elections 5

6.  MCC enforced through setting up of Enforcement Cell.  Election Vigilance Squad (EVS) comprising of the Revenue and Police Officials equipped with video camera and dedicated vehicles, Control Room functioning round the clock with Toll free telephone number to receive complaint from public  EVS equipped with Video Cameras  Wide publicity given on the functioning of Enforcement Cell,  Checks on the Response of the EVS & Control room proved to be deterrent factor.  No serious cases of MCC violation noticed. Model Code of Conduct Monitoring (MCC) 6

7. Law And Order  Two companies of CRPF deployed for the recent Genl. Election to Lok Shaba-2009  All the Police Personnel were deputed to Elections Department.  Boarder Sealing and Check posts setup.  Law & Order maintained by.  Daily Review  Training  Flag march in sensitive areas.  Randomized deployment  Preventive arrests. 7

8. PREVENTION OF DEFACEMENT  Defacement prevented through a notification under Puducherry Open Places (Prevention of Defacement) Act, 2005.  Special Squads set up comprising of Revenue, Local Body officials and Police removed cut-outs, Banners then and there round the clock. Resulted in candidates or supporters not putting up such cutouts & Banners  No Law & Order problem due to pasting of posters, cutouts flags etc.,  City Kept clean from any wall writing and posters  Instruction of ECI on defacement implemented 100% without any bias. Law And Order cont… 8

9.  Dedicated Centralized training Cell prepared training Modules, Power point presentations. Soft copies supplied to all  Multilayer training. – Training to Master trainers, Training to AROS, Training to Sector Officers.  Training session divided into theory and practical and trainees divided into small batches during practical training.  Hands on training given for filling up of various forms particularly, Form 17C  Presiding officer, 1st PO, 2nd PO given continuous training.  Repeated presentation on E process through power point.  Uniform content  Training Manual published Training 9

10. Repeated awareness on EVM resulting in complaint free and Error free elections  Booth-wise EVM awareness campaign  Involvement of NGO’s  Publication in Newspapers/Local channels  Special hand outs given to all polling personnel.  A test questionnaire also administered to revitalize memory. Awarness Of EVM 10

11.  Polling stations set up only in pucca buildings.  No temporary Polling Booths  All Polling booths have telephone access,  All pooling Booths have proper drinking water, Toilet, lighting and ceiling fans Highlights of poll day activities  No Poll related violences  No rigging  No intimidation of voters  Secure environment  No complaints on polling personnel  Effective welfare plan.  Ambulances were kept on alert. Facilities for voters 11

12.  Setting up of Media Centre.  Frequent Press release/ briefing  Through Website with the technical assistance of NIC, Puducherry.  BSNL & Pvt. Cell Phone Operators pressed into identification and clear communication shadow areas for un- interrupted communication.  Shadow area- NIL Dissemination of Information 12

13.  Even though there is no prohibition, Consumption/sale of liquor was monitored and maintained as that of 3 years monthly average during non election period by Setting up of Excise Squads 24X7  State boundary check posts, surprise check and regular check in the manufacturing units and godowns, resulted in effective control and movement of liquor.  In addition to prohibition officials, EVS/Sector Magistrates also check the movement of liquor supply/sale. Excise 13

14. Notable feature  Notification on POP (PoD) Act, 2005  24x7 hrs – Toll free No.1070  Nodal officer for Polling Personnel Welfare  Micro Observers  Nodal Officer to coordinate  Training  Randomized deployment  Vulnerability mapping  Communication plan  On line dissemination of results. 14

15.  Live videoed on hypersensitive Polling Station through internet.  Enhanced honorarium to encourage polling personnel  Exclusive women’s cell to facilitate greater participation of women Suggestions 15

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