Video Surveillance Teams (VST):


One or more Video Surveillance Team shall be deployed for each Assembly Constituency/ Segment consisting of at least one official and one videographer. If necessary, more teams may be deployed on the recommendation of the Expenditure Observer. The Assistant Expenditure Observer shall personally supervise videography of sensitive events and big public rallies in the constituency. If more than one public rally is organized on the same day, more than one video teams shall be deployed to record the procession and the rally.


The Video Surveillance Team shall be properly trained and oriented to capture all the expenditure related events and evidences. The Video Surveillance Team, at the beginning of the shooting shall record in voice mode the title and the type of event, date, place and the name of the party and candidate organizing the event. It shall videograph the vehicles/event/poster/cut-outs etc. in such a way that the evidence of each vehicle, its make and registration number, items of furniture, size of rostrum, banner and cutout etc. can be clearly seen and the expenses thereon can be calculated. Wherever possible, statements of the drivers and passengers of the vehicles should also be recorded to prove that the vehicles were used for election purpose, if such vehicles are parked outside the venue of rally.


During the shooting of the event, the video team shall also record in voice describing the estimated number and types of vehicles, chairs/ furniture/ lights/ loudspeakers etc., the approximate size of rostrum/banner/poster/cutout etc. used in the event. It will then be easier for the Video Viewing Team to cross check with reference to the visuals and estimate the expenditure of the event. They will also record the speech and other events to monitor whether any Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violation has occurred.


The video surveillance team shall prepare a Cue Sheet at the time of recording in the format given in Annexure-B15. This cue sheet should be given to the viewing team along with the recorded CD. The video CD should have a unique identification number, date and name of the staff/officer and should always be kept with the cue sheet. The purpose of maintaining a cue sheet is to see at a glance the evidence available in the CD and also to view the relevant part of the evidence in a short time.


In case of more than one event or public rally or procession on the same day, appropriate number of video teams should be deployed and the DEO will provide all logistics required by the Assistant Expenditure Observer.


Video Surveillance Teams (VSTs) will function from the date of announcement of election and shall continue with their duty upto date of poll/re-poll, if any. (Annexure-B18 & B20)