Popcorn Paradox
India’s Goods and Services Tax, introduced with the promise of simplifying the tax structure, has once again come under scrutiny.
Conducting an election in India is a mammoth task with over 937 million registered electors, Chief Election Commissioner told the world while addressing an International virtual seminar on “Story of World’s Largest Democracy’s Election”.
The commission has to set up polling booths within walking distance of every village hamlet and habitation with the aim of ‘No Voter to be Left Behind’, said Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra in his keynote Address here on Wednesday.
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While sharing the experience of conducting elections in six states amidst the COVID pandemic, he gave details of several initiatives adapted to ensure smooth conduct of elections despite challenges posed.
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He further highlighted steps like curtailing the maximum number of voters at a polling station from 1500 to 1000 and extending polling hours by an hour in order to decongest polling spaces, postal ballot facility for 80+ senior citizens, PwDs and COVID affected individuals where ECI literally brought the polling station to their doorstep, he said.
He further gave an insight into the participation of women in Indian elections, which has seen a remarkable increase over the years. He further explained ECI’s efforts to digitize and use technology in conducting elections. ECI has introduced Voting Machines, VVPATs, mobile (c-vIGIL) app for citizens to report a violation of Model Code of Conduct, the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System facility for service voters and those posted at our missions abroad, He told the seminar.
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