Undistributed photo voter slips to be kept sealed

To prevent misuse of undistributed photo voter slips in the ongoing West Bengal Assembly polls, the Election Commission has decided to keep it safe in sealed envelopes.
Earlier such remaining slips used to be kept with the presiding officer and could be collected by the voter from the polling booth while exercising his or her franchise.
"Now we have decided that all such undistributed photo voter slips will be submitted to the returning officer in a sealed condition. It will not be opened at all. This is being done to stop its misuse," EC officials said.
The decision was taken by the CEO's office after receiving complaints from political parties.

In the second phase, for example, 96.7 per cent of all photo voter slips have been distributed and the remaining ones are kept in a sealed condition.
"The rule is that the voter slips will be given only to the voter personally or to a family member who is also a voter," the official said.

Since some of the voters are not at home when the distribution is made, few photo voter slips remain undistributed.
Photo voter slips is one of the 11 documents allowed by the commission which is accepted as identity proof in polling booths.
"This is basically an invitation letter to cast vote. It is good if it is brought by the voter but is never an issue even if you leave it behind," officials said.

The distribution of Photo Voter Slips is completed at least five days before the date of poll and a very close and rigorous monitoring of the distribution process is done by the DEO and general observer.