Punjab Polls: Flying squad vehicles to be fitted with GPS, cameras to prevent electoral malpractices

The state election office has decided to fit GPS devices and cameras on vehicles of Flying Squads to check whether they are taking action against parties indulging in electoral malpractices and attending to complaints of violations of Model Code of Conduct during 2017 Punjab polls.

"GPS-enabled tracking system and camera in vehicles will help election officials based at the state control centre to keep a check on functioning of Flying Squads through real-time feeds," an State Election Office official said on Wednesday.

This is the first time in Punjab that vehicles will be fitted and monitored through GPS, the official said, adding there is going to be three squads in each of the 117 assembly constituency in Punjab.

"This system will allow us to keep a track of vehicles of squads. It will tell us whether their vehicles are moving and if they are attending to complaints during the poll," the official said.

It was informed that cameras will provide election officials with live feed of political rallies.

If the state control room and Returning Officers receive any complaint they can locate the nearest squad through GPS and send it to look into the problem, the official said.

-PTI