Have an election-related query? Just dial 47617500

New Delhi: Have an election-related query and don't know whom to ask? Simply call the toll free number 47617500 and get an answer by one of the young employees of the Delhi Election Commission's round-the-clock call centre.

Answering more than 500 calls every day, the call centre, which has been functioning since March 15, is the Election Commission's effort to attract people to vote and make the seemingly cumbersome process of voter registration easier by answering all their queries.

The supervisor of the call centre at the Election Commission office in Kashmere Gate Uday Bakshi said their aim is to give people as much election-related information as they can.

"Whether it is a query about the voters' list, polling booths, nominations filed, we try and give as much information to our callers as we can. But information on elections is very dynamic. Almost every hour there are updates and we pass on the information in accordance to that," Bakshi said.

"On the polling day, we will give information on the polling percentage and voter turnout. On the day of counting, we will give information like who won by what margin and an hourly update," he added.

Thirty people are presently working in the call centre in two shifts. Most of them are students hired through an agency.

"All our employees are in the age group of 20-25. They have been through a training period in which the focus is on the behavioural aspects. I personally look into that. Mannerisms on how to greet a caller, talk politely, retrieve and deliver information are taught."

While the call centre facility has not yet been publicised, plans to do so will take shape in the first week of April.

"Along with publicising the call centre, we will also start in the first week of April our SMS facility, in which one can get all election related information on the mobile phone," Bakshi said.

But even without the advertising, the call centre is regularly flooded with scores of phone calls enquiring about voters' identity cards and polling booth details, he added.

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