Maharashtra polls: Officers using barcodes to verify voters' details at Pune poll booth

In a first, the Election Commission is using barcodes to verify voters' details at a polling station in Pune's Kasba Peth constituency in the Maharashtra assembly elections on Monday.

"This is the first time barcodes are being used to verify voters in an election. In the future, it will allow voters to cast their votes without having to show their voter identity cards," the poll officer at the station, Sunil Raut told ANI.

As per official data, around 5.77 per cent voters turned out to cast their ballot till 10 am.

Explaining the process, Raut said, "Voters come to the polling station with their voter slips. We check the number on the slip and give them a barcode slip. When the code is scanned on 'booth app', all the voters' details appear on the phone and they are assigned a token number to cast vote."

He said that the voters in the constituency were also informed in advance about the development.

Voters in the constituency also lauded the move.

"It is a very good decision to use barcodes to verify voters' details. It will prevent voting fraud. It will also be convenient if we don't have to show our voter identity cards to cast vote," said Sunil Sahinkar, one of the voters at the station.

Voting began at 288 assembly constituencies of Maharashtra at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. The votes will be counted on October 24.