The Election Commission (EC) revealed on Friday that its C-Vigil mobile application has emerged as a powerful tool for citizens to report violations of the poll code, with over 79,000 complaints received since the announcement of the Lok Sabha election.
According to the EC, more than 99 percent of the complaints have been addressed, with nearly 89 percent resolved within 100 minutes of receipt.
The majority of the complaints, comprising 73 percent of the total, were lodged against illegal hoardings and banners. Additionally, over 1,400 complaints were related to the distribution of money, gifts, and liquor.
Close to 3 percent of the grievances, totalling 2,454, were linked to the defacement of property, while 529 out of 535 complaints regarding the display of firearms and intimidation have been resolved.
Furthermore, 1,000 complaints were registered for campaigning beyond the stipulated period, including the unauthorized use of speakers.
What is the cVigil app?
The Election Commission of India has introduced a mobile application named cVigil, empowering citizens to report instances of political misconduct, unethical practices, and violations of the Model Code of Conduct. This initiative enables real-time addressing of complaints by officials on election duty.
Upon lodging a complaint, citizens provide details of the violation along with the geographical coordinates of the incident via the global positioning system. This information is then transmitted to a field team, facilitating prompt identification of the incident location and initiation of investigation. Following the investigation, the field team submits a status report, along with evidence, to the returning officer for further action.
The cVigil application is currently accessible for download exclusively on Google Play Store.
Users of the app have the option to report violations anonymously or by providing their personal details. Anonymously reported complaints can be submitted without signing in to the application. Conversely, individuals wishing to disclose their identity can log in to the app by furnishing information such as their name and mobile number.
It is essential for citizens to accompany their complaints with a picture or video as evidence. Any complaint submitted must be supported by an attached image or video, with the app not permitting the use of images or videos from the device’s gallery for this purpose.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024
The seven-phase polls were announced on March 16, with voting scheduled between April 19 and June 1.
During the press conference to announce the Lok Sabha poll schedule, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had urged citizens to remain vigilant and utilize the app to report violations of the Model Code of Conduct and any attempts to influence voters through inducements.
