MUMBAI: The Election Commission has decided to conduct live webcasting from over 9,000 polling stations, including sensitive ones, during the next week's Maharashtra Assembly elections, an official said on Monday.

The state polls will also for the first time witness use of VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) machines, he said.

The EC is using the live webcasting system to deter miscreants from creating problems at polling stations and to increase transparency in the voting process, the election official said.

"Live webcasting would be carried out from 9,673 polling stations in Maharashtra," the EC said in a statement.

Elections for the 288 Assembly seats in the state will be held at 96,661 polling stations on October 21.

The EC has planned to use 1,79,895 ballot units and 1,26,505 control units, the official said.

Also, for the first time VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) machines will be used in the Maharashtra polls.

Total 1,35,021 VVPAT machines will be used to increase transparency, the official added.