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Application of GIS for execution of Delimitation process in India


Er D. S. Chowhan
Director
UMC Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Jaipur
D-86, Ambabari, Jaipur-302012
Email: umcjpr_jp1@sancharnet.in

Dr M P Punia
Incharge/Head
Remote Sensing Division
B. M. Birla Science & Technology Centre, Statue Circle, Jaipur 302005
Email: punia_rsd@yahoo.com


Abstract
India is the largest democracy of the world with second largest population. People elect their representatives for Parliament, State Assembly, Panchayat and Nagar Palika. In the assembly constituency (A.C.) elections M.L.A.'s are elected who form the state level government. All A.C.’s are supposed to be equally populated but due to the uneven increase in population, the population varies from A.C. to A.C with time. Sometimes the variation is very large. To overcome this, the Government has made procedure to redistribute the population equally within different A.C.'s after every 10 years. This is called DELIMITATION. It is done by shifting the lowest unit of an A.C. i.e. Patwar circle.

Since the Electors are shifted in redistribution, there is always a hue and cry over this issue. For reaching a solution after satisfying all concerned, a scientific and logical method is required with the help of which a number of permutations and combinations can be tried. Here role of GIS becomes important.

In this application, first of all the Assembly Constituencies are digitised upto Patwar Circle level, as per the present status. The A.C. boundary, roads, railway lines, geographical features are marked on different layers. Data pertaining to population, distance from the A.C. headquarter, caste etc is attached to different patwar circle. Then the different permutations, combinations are tried. The patwar circles desired to be shifted from one A.C. to other are selected. On execution of shift command these are shifted to the desired AC. The initial and final population of both the AC is displayed. After a number of permutations, which may be in front of the deciding committee, the final option can be selected. On execution of dissolve command the final shape is obtained. The new polling stations / patwar circles can then be renumbered by a single command as per the ECI guidelines.

The permutations can be done perfectly and viewed instantly thus there is a bright possibility of reaching at a conclusion soon.

Further if we go to polling station level digitisation then the problems of overlapping of polling station jurisdiction, areas not covered in any polling station, selection of DPL for conducting of EPIC Campaign, selection of Polling stations, deciding of shortest routes for polling parties etc can become very easy.

Most important feature of this software is that Election officers and District Magistrate can plan and manage their election programme very smoothly & comfortably. This DESKTOP – Software is also useful for administrative officers who can get their queries in the form of GIS (Map /Tables/ Chart/ Text documents) outputs in simplest way of complex phenomena.

Acknowledgement: My Special Thanks to Dr. J. R. Sharma (Head RRSSC, Jodhpur) & his Human Scientific Group and Other Human Scientific Groups of Remote Sensing Div, B.M. Birla Science & Technology Centre, who encouraged our software team to develop GIS in this field.

Introduction
India is the second largest country in population and largest efficiently running Democracy. People elect their representatives for Parliament, State Assembly, Nagar Palika and Panchayat. All assembly constituencies (A.C.’s) are supposed to be equally populated but due to uneven increase in population it varies from A.C. to A.C with time. It needs regular exercise of dividing, clubbing various clusters of people from one A.C. to another A.C. depending upon the growth of population. This is a continuous process exercised after every 10 years. This entire exercise is as per the ECI guidelines and is collectively known as “Delimitation”.

Since the Electors are shifted in redistribution, there is always a hue and cry over this issue. Here GIS with business intelligence becomes an excellent management tool in preparing a most appropriate model. The biggest and most revolutionising aspect of GIS application comes while implementing the Delimitation process of E.C.I. Let us see how?
  1. The selection of Patwar circles to be shifted becomes very convenient due to geographical display of its position.
  2. Population to be shifted is displayed on selection of Patwar circles. Similarly the final population of both AC’s is displayed after shifting is done.
  3. Since it is a sensitive issue a number of permutation and combination have to be tried. Once this gets approval from political parties, local administration, and the people at large, same could be converted into actual action and could be notified. The modified output could be seen on real time basis with all the parameters and if further changes required it could again be done till the final solution is arrived on the computer only.
  4. The time, efforts, labour is reduced considerably and better accuracy is obtained.

    Besides Delimitation GIS can play an important role in other activities of ECI.

  5. GIS being the graphical presentation of data, can be a real management tool at highest level in making more practical policies while conducting the election process in deciding location of polling booth, control room, movement and shortest routes for polling parties, arrangement of buildings, manpower etc
  6. Sensitive and extremely sensitive area could be traced in most appropriate way and the security personnel be kept alert for any emergency.
  7. Readily available data on desk top or laptop with various administration head keeps them updated and aids in taking any decision without interruption by movement or proximity to information desk.
  8. Real time data of electoral population can be shown area wise.
  9. With the introduction of EVM’s, more people can be clubbed in same polling booth thus saving lot of man hour and cost by locating fresh booths and reducing the overall number of booths in a constituency.
  10. Security arrangement could be far more transparent and readily available.
  11. Election department can also solve the problems of overlapping of polling station jurisdiction, areas not covered in any polling station, selection of DPL for conducting of EPIC Campaign.
Methodology
  1. Digitization of A.C. upto patwar circle including digitization of roads, railways, important geographic features.
  2. Attachment of data of population, caste, distance from A.C. head quarter etc. to each patwar circle.
  3. Selection of patwar circle to be shifted.
  4. Execution of Shifting by “Shift” command.
  5. Confirmation of resultant population of both A.C.’s after shifting.
  6. Execution of number of combinations for getting final model of both A.C.’s acceptable to all concerned.
  7. Execution of “Dissolve” command to finally change the boundary of A.C.’s.
  8. Execution of “Renumber “command to renumber the booth as per new arrangement.
3 Database creation and Analysis

1. Table Name: CHANGE_AC

1. Initial stage of Both A.C.’s with selected patwar circles to be shifted marked in yellow.



2. Execution of “Shift command”.


3. Display of confirmation window.


4. Execution of “Dissolve command”.


Results
A REAL BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE TOOL FOR ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA, THE MOST HONOURED ORGANISATION IN WOLRD’S LARGEST DEMOCRACY IN IMPLIMENTING IT’S UNBIASED AND MOST APPROPRIATE POLICIES & PROCEDURES.

References

Data, Information and Technical knowledge provided by
  1. Chief Electoral Officer, Rajasthan.
  2. Chief Electoral Officer, Himachal Pradesh.
  3. Dr. J. R. Sharma (Head RRSSC, Jodhpur) & his Human Scientific Group.
  4. Other Human Scientific Groups of Remote Sensing Div, B.M. Birla Science & Technology Centre.
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