Bihar Elections: Voters to Deposit Mobile Phones at Polling Booths from Third Phase
In a significant move aimed at ensuring a smooth and transparent voting process, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that voters will be required to deposit their mobile phones at designated counters outside polling booths during the Bihar Assembly elections. This facility is set to be introduced starting from the third phase of the elections later this year.
Under the new guidelines, voters will hand over their mobile phones at counters established outside the polling booths before entering to cast their vote. The responsibility of safeguarding these devices will lie with the Election Commission staff. After voting and getting their finger inked, voters can collect their phones and are even allowed to take a selfie outside the booth.
This decision comes as a response to the increasing use of mobile devices across urban and rural India, and the challenges voters—especially senior citizens, women, and persons with disabilities—face during polling. The move aims to reduce distractions and maintain order at polling stations while preventing unauthorized recording or transmission of voting details that may compromise secrecy.
Voters will still be permitted to carry their mobile phones within a 100-metre radius of the polling booths, but only in a switched-off state. Phones will not be allowed inside the booths under any circumstances. To facilitate secure deposits, pigeonhole boxes or jute bags will be provided at the entrance.
However, the Election Commission clarified that certain polling stations may be exempted from this provision if local conditions, assessed by returning officers, make it impractical to implement the phone deposit rule.
The ECI also reiterated that Rule 49M of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961—which mandates the secrecy of voting inside polling stations—will continue to be strictly enforced.
In addition to the mobile phone deposit facility, the Election Commission has made another noteworthy change to enhance electoral accessibility. Political parties and candidates will now be allowed to set up temporary help desks within 100 metres of polling booth entrances to distribute unofficial voter slips. Previously, such desks were only permitted at a distance of 200 metres, and this move is expected to make it easier for voters to access electoral information and assistance.
The decision to introduce mobile phone deposits follows concerns raised during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when many first-time voters shared inked-finger selfies and videos from polling booths on social media. These instances included Instagram stories and Twitter videos showcasing voters’ choices or mocking opposition parties, raising questions about the secrecy and decorum of the voting process.
With these new guidelines, the Election Commission aims to strike a balance between enabling voter participation and maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of the electoral process during the Bihar Assembly elections.
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