The Election Commission on Tuesday launched an Android-based mobile application named “cVigil” for citizens to share proof of malpractices by political parties, their candidates and activists when the Model Code of Conduct is in force.

The mobile application also facilitates sharing of geo-tagged photographic and video evidence without disclosing the identity of the sender.

The uploaded information will be transmitted to the control room, and from there the field units or flying squads, mapped on a Geographic Information System, will be immediately alerted for further action.

In case the complainant does not opt for anonymity, the person will also receive an action-taken report within about 100 minutes. The application, whose Beta version has now been released, will be made available for use during the four State Assembly elections scheduled for later this year.

The mobile application, for which EC officials will be trained for effective back-end operations and action against the malpractices reported ahead of the elections, was launched against the backdrop of the inauguration of a two-day national consultation programme on “Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the Electoral Process.”

‘Accessible elections’

At the event, Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat also launched a voter education and electoral participation portal, which has an entire section dedicated to PwDs.