Call centre opens poll shop in state

KOLKATA: Call centres are poised to play a role in the world''s largest democratic exercise — that too in West Bengal.
A partnership between the Confederation of Indian Industries and the state electoral authorities will help voters with information on elections.
A dedicated round-theclock call centre, with 25 people, has been hired. All those who wish to check if their names figure on the electoral rolls can simply call up the centre.
The CII and the electoral authorities will also try to get maximum people to the polling booths on May 10.On voting day, an SMS will be sent to all mobile users, early in the morning, gently reminding them to vote. In the afternoon, the message will be repeated.
The SMS will be sent on behalf of cellphone operators and the decision was taken after a meeting between operators and CII representatives.
"People need to be goaded into participating in the democratic exercise. All cellphone operators are our members. When we gave them the SMS proposal, they they accepted readily," said CII eastern regional director Amitav Khosla.
At present, the election department is concentrating on equipping the call centre. "Staff training has started. The election department has developed a software which will give all the information about electoral rolls at the touch of a mouse," said chief election officer Basudeb Banerjee.
The call centre computers will be fitted with the special software. Although there is no scope to include any more names in the electoral rolls, voters can check whether their names figure in the list.
"The expenses of computers and training of call centre officials will be borne by the CII. We are negotiating with BSNL on leasing lines, after which the call centre number will be announced," said Khosla.
The number will be advertised in newspapers, informed Mukul Sarkar, an election official who is handling the hot-line and other poll-related information systems.
The department is also planning to set up information kiosks in four locations across the state. These kiosks will be provided with trained personnel and computers.
"These kiosks will come up in Kharagpur, Durgapur, Haldia and Siliguri. Computers will be provided by our member companies," said Khosla. An earlier plan to set up kiosks in the city has been cancelled due to logistical difficulties.
The revised electoral list for the state will be published on Thursday.