Mock voting is a preparatory process in which control units are connected to ballot units and two test votes are cast on each ballot unit in the presence of polling officials assigned to the respective booths
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Mock voting was carried out between 6 am and 7 am across polling stations on Thursday morning, ahead of the commencement of polling at 7.30 am.
What mock voting involves
Mock voting is a preparatory process in which control units are connected to ballot units and two test votes are cast on each ballot unit in the presence of polling officials assigned to the respective booths.
CRC process explained by election officials
Explaining the procedure, an election officer told mid-day on Thursday morning, “We follow a process known as CRC — Close, Result and Clear. After the ballot unit is attached to the control unit, two mock votes are cast. The result is then checked on the control unit and subsequently cleared, as these are test votes and must not be included in the final vote tally.”
The exercise is conducted to ensure that all Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are functioning properly and that there are no errors in registering votes.
Strict surveillance during mock voting process
Another official from polling booth number 2 in ward 193 said, “Once the CRC process is completed, the control unit is sealed and switched off. The entire procedure is carried out under strict surveillance, and no citizens are allowed inside the polling station during this time. It must be completed by 7 am or, at the latest, by 7.15 am.”
Polling begins after completion of mock voting
When voting begins at 7.30 am, the control unit—already connected to the ballot unit prior to mock voting—is switched on again, after which voters are allowed to cast their ballots.
Resident associations bar political campaigning on WhatsApp groups on voting day
Several informal and formal residents’ associations, including Advanced Locality Managements (ALMs), operate WhatsApp groups that connect local residents with civic and police authorities to facilitate smoother communication and civic coordination.
On Thursday, which marked voting day, administrators of many such groups actively discouraged political campaigning to help “ensure free and fair” elections.
In one WhatsApp group comprising residents of Mulund and local officials, the administrator deleted political messages and issued a clear directive stating: “Today no campaign, please. Messages asking people to vote for any party will be deleted instantly.”
Speaking to mid-day, Chetan Bordawekar, a Mulund resident and civic activist, said, “We are discouraging the use of our group for political campaigning. In principle, the group exists for the betterment of the area and to enable citizens to communicate easily with authorities and local leaders. We urge citizens to vote, but we strongly discourage political campaigning, especially on polling day.”
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