With the c-Vigil mobile App (launched by the Election Commission to curb violation of model code of conduct) apparently not getting the kind of response expected, volunteers from SVEEP will work towards making it an effective and popular tool for posting short videos and photographs on electoral malpractices the people come across.
The SVEEP teams that have spread across Mysuru district have been asked assist the public in downloading the mobile application in their smart phones from Google Playstore and demonstrate its operations for posting the complaints since many were still not responsive about the tool and the rationale behind its launch.
“Wherever the teams are camping, they will be assisting those having smart phones to download the app and highlight its use in a bid to make it useful tool for preventing poll code violations and expenditure limit,” sources said.
It has come to light that public were making use of the voter helpline 1950 to lodge complaints. This toll-free helpline was launched to aid voters with a range of services including information on electoral roll, polling stations and so on. As it was easy for the public to make a call instead of using an app, the helpline is said to have been receiving more calls from voters. Many had lodged complaints which were directed to the respective election officers.
With more than two weeks left for the elections, the people engaged in educating the public on compulsory voting as a part of SVEEP have been asked to help the voters know more about the app, its use and its functions.
Also, a singer from Mysuru, Harsha, and humorist and writer Krishne Gowda have been roped as ambassadors for SVEEP activities in Mysuru district and they shall be touring the district spreading the message of compulsory voting besides the new initiatives such as c-Vigil app.
In the beginning, the complaints posted on the c-Vigil (Citizen Vigil) turned out to be sham and unrelated with people uploading photographs and videos of their home, ‘jathre’, family pictures, old newspaper cuttings on past elections, old poll posters and so on. Many had posted their selfies, discomforting the staff deployed to monitor the content.
The app was launched with the purpose of tracking violations of the model code and election expenditure limit, encouraging citizens to report violations to the poll officials for curbing electoral malpractices.
The app has the choice for uploading photographs and short videos on what the citizens believe to be “violations” of model code from the spot along with location-based info. The EC took the app-route to engage the citizens in the election process.
A dedicated c-Vigil control room had been established at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here to attend to the app-based complaints and address them within 100 minutes from the time of receipt.