VIDEOGRAPHY

Videography to record critical events-_Consolidated instructions.

Election Commission's letter No. 447/96/PLN-IV, Dated: 15-02-1996, addressed to the Chief Electoral Officers of All States and Union Territories.
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Subject : Elections - Videography to record critical events - Consolidated Instructions thereon.

I am directed to state that in supersession of the instructions contained in its Orders, No. 447/ES009/94, dated 2nd September, 1994; No. 447/94 (MMS), dated 26th December, 1994 and No. 447/ES009/95, dated 22nd April, 1995, on the subject cited above, the Commission hereby issues the following consolidated instructions.

2. In order to enable the Commission to have a true, faithful and contemporaneous record of the violations of the election law and the standing instructions of the Commission and to assess the impact of its corrective measures, the Returning Officer of each constituency shall make arrangements to record through videography critical events during the process of electioneering, including but not restricted to the period of public campaign, the day of poll, the transport and receipt of polled ballot boxes and other materials, counting of votes and the declaration of results in an independent intelligent and purposeful manner.

3. For this purpose, the Returning Officers may make use of video cameras and crew available with the Governmental or semi-Governmental agencies within their jurisdiction or hire local private professional videographers.

4. The Returning Officer shall, while programming the itinerary of the Video teams, take into account the number of electors, the size of the constituency, the number of sensitive polling stations, previous history of booth capturing and other malpractices, the general law and order situation, the likelihood of commission of corrupt practices and electoral offences and other related factors.

5. On the basis of his assessment, the Returning Officer should decide the number of video teams needed. The Commission has not prescribed any maximum or minimum number of video teams for an assembly/parliamentary constituency and has left it to the discretion of the Returning Officers on a correct appreciation of the factors mentioned in paragraph 4 above.

6. The Commission has issued the following instructions in the matter of selection of videographers and their deployment:-

6.1) The private videographers to be hired shall be screened thoroughly as to their professional competence, track record, financial viability and other related factors.

6.2) The videographers should not belong to any political party and should not be known sympathisers or supporters or close relatives of any of the contesting candidates or any of the leaders of any political party or should not have been hired by any political party or contesting candidate.

6.3) The Returning Officer is required to provide tea, snacks food etc. to the videographers and they shall not be left to fend for themselves while on duty. It shall be ensured that the videographers DO NOT accept the hospitality of any contesting candidate or political party or their workers.

6.4) Video teams should be under the personal supervision and guidance of a senior election related officer.

6.5) As and when required the video teams may be asked to accompany the General/Election Expenditure Observers so that all critical events observed by them may also be videotaped.

6.6) The videographers shall be impressed that the principle behind the scheme is to record and videotape critical events only which are likely to vitiate the poll and not to just videotape all events in a routine manner in order to fill the cassette. In the nature of guidelines, the Commission has issued the following DOs and Donts as guidelines for videography.

-------------------------------------------------DO's

1. Meeting addressed/attended by Ministers, top national/State level leaders of recognised parties.

2. Riots or riotous situations or commotions brickbatting, free-for-all etc.

3. Violent incidents, damaging of property, looting, arson, brandishing of arms etc.

4. Booth capturing.

5. Intimidation of voters.

6. Open bribing of voters by distribution of sarees Dhoties, blankets etc.

7. Canvassing within 100 metres of polling stations.

8. Vulgar display of expenditure like huge cut-outs etc.



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