Chief election commissioner OP Rawat had said before announcing poll dates that a cVigil mobile application would be launched to check poll code violations, the day elections dates are announced. Poll dates were announced on October 6 and since then people and activists are constantly checking the google store to download the app.
Once downloaded a message flashes on the screen saying,’Thanks for downloading the app. cVIGIL app will be available from date of elections’ notification . Elections will be notified on November 2. But before this, people and parties have started carrying cash and liquor to lure voters. News related to this has started appearing in newspapers quite often. If the app had started working more cases would have been reported, commented activist Ajay Dubey.
The app gives common man an opportunity to click pictures and take videos of violations and send it to election officers. The app can triangulate exact location of problem being. “Within 100 minutes, complainant will be given feedback on the action taken,” Mr Rawat had said then. As soon as the complaint lands in the inbox of the official concerned , it is verified within minutes and action including lodging of FIR is taken care of.
Though the application can be downloaded from Google Play Store and websites of EC and state chief electoral officers, it will be operational only in constituencies and states where there is an election. No shoot and scoot is allowed. If the picture is uploaded from any other location, then the complaint will be discarded and the complainant will be informed accordingly.
Association for Democratic Reforms, convener Rolly Shivhare said that cVIGIL should have started as the election commission had promised. Moreover, the ECI had also promised that a soft version would be launched in advance so that users get acquainted with it.