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Violators beware: Election Commission has apps that land you in trouble
Beware poll violators The cVIGIL, which stands for citizens vigil, and a host of other Androidbased mobile apps launched by the Election Commission EC that nail violation of the Model Code of Conduct MCC to ensure free and fair elections in Telangana, which goes to polls on December 7
Warangal: Beware poll violators! The cVIGIL, which stands for ‘citizens' vigil’, and a host of other Android-based mobile apps launched by the Election Commission (EC) that nail violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) to ensure free and fair elections in Telangana, which goes to polls on December 7.
In its bid to enable people to report code violations, the EC has developed cVIGIL app and to use it in poll-bound Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh. Its aim is to serve as a pilot initiative before using it extensively in the next Lok Sabha General Elections.
The app will work only during the time the MCC is in place in a poll-bound State. The app will hide the complainant’s phone number and identity so as to protect the whistle blowers facing any risk of possible backlash.
In the absence of a robust response system, the cVIGIL is expected to provide teeth to law-enforcers, which hitherto failed to make an impact due to delay in reporting code violations and lack of documentary evidences like photos or video clips.
The cVIGIL will allow people to report violations of MCC from the date of announcement of elections to a day after the polls. The citizens can immediately report on incidents of misconduct within minutes of having witnessed them by using this app.
They don’t need to rush to the election authority to lodge complaints. All that the citizens have to do is to click a picture or record a video of the scene of poll violation and upload it on the app.
The automated location mapping will be done by the app using the Geographic Information System. It’s learnt that once the complaint is lodged, it will be assigned to a field unit that consists of flying squads, static surveillance teams, reserve teams etc. Each field unit will have a GIS-based mobile application called cVIGIL Dispatcher, which allows them to directly reach the location through navigation technology.
After a field unit has taken action, it messages and uploads the relevant document as ‘action taken report’ via the cVIGIL Dispatcher to the authority concerned for its decision. If the incident is found correct, the information is sent to the National Grievance Portal of the Election Commission of India for further action.
To prevent any misuse, the app will not allow uploading of the pre-recorded or old images and videos. The app, which is available on Google Play Store requires an Android smartphone equipped with a camera, internet connection and GPS access.
“People’s participation is must in upholding the values of democracy. The onus is on people to make election process fool-proof. If they find any anomaly in the upcoming polls, they should come forward to report it. The cVIGIL enables vigilant citizens get to know the status of their complaint within 100 minutes,” Warangal Urban District Collector Prashanth Jeevan Patil told The Hans India.
