PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1061
(49)
*MOCK ELECTIONS
532 . Shri Sidhva: Will the Minister of Law be pleased to state :
(a) whether the Election Commissioner has held mock elections at certain places;
(b) If so, the places at which these were held and the number of voters who participated ;
(c) how much time was taken in recording the votes; and
(d) whether the Election Commissioner has formulated his plans for real elections on the basis of the time occupied by such mock elections ?
The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): (a) to (d). The Election Commission directed the various State Governments in May 1951, to hold mock elections under all the assumed conditions of polling in order to obtain actual data and experience in the conduct of the forthcoming elections as also to get an idea of the average time required in recording votes. The Commission has asked the State Governments for information as regards places where rehearsals have actually been held, and so far a report has been received only from Orissa. The experience gained at these mock elections is to be taken into account in planning the actual number and the location of the polling stations. The tentative proposals of the State Governments framed on the experience of these mock elections will be published for general information and thereafter finalised in consultation with the Election Commission in the light of the suggestions, if any, received from the public.
Shri Sidhva: In that mock election how many votes were recorded in any one of the States ?
Dr. Ambedkar: I have no information.
Shri Sidhva: What was the opinion of the Election Commissioner regarding the voting by illiterate persons ? Was it very successful ?
*P. D., Vol. 9, Part I, 27th August 1951, p. 664.