Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 17 January 2024
In a significant move to tackle the influence of money in elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has enlisted the assistance of various Enforcement Agencies to introduce a groundbreaking software known as the “Election Seizure Management System” (ESMS). The new system aims to streamline the process of compiling seizure reports, which were previously managed manually by the Chief Electoral Officer.
Under the existing practice, the Chief Electoral Officer manually compiled seizure reports from different Enforcement Agencies, presenting a cumbersome and time-consuming process. To address these challenges and enhance efficiency, the ECI has developed the ESMS, a software designed to digitize data for intercepted and seized items such as cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, freebies, and other items during the Model Code of Conduct period.
In light of these developments, the Election Commission of India organized an online training program on the ESMS for the upcoming General Election to Lok Sabha-2024. The training session took place in the Mini Conference Hall of the Secretariat, A&N Administration.
Notable attendees at the online training included Chief Electoral Officer Mr. B S Jaglan, District Election Officers Mr. Ankit Yadav and Ms. Jyoti Kumari, Sub Divisional Magistrate Mr. Vinayak Chamadia, State Level Master Trainers, and representatives from various Enforcement Agencies.
The training session focused on discussing the objectives of the ESMS application, highlighting its potential to revolutionize the reporting and compilation process by providing a real-time and user-friendly interface. Among the key participants were CEOs from other states, emphasizing the collaborative and nationwide effort to implement this innovative system.
The Election Seizure Management System is set to play a pivotal role in ensuring transparency and efficiency in monitoring election-related activities, as the ECI continues its commitment to conducting fair and free elections across the country.