Andhra HC stays use of SEC’s eWatch app until February 9

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday issued an interim order to the State Election Commission (SEC) to hold back the use of the eWatch app until February 9. The app was launched on February 3 to keep track of reports on poll irregularities.

The interim order by a division bench of Chief Justice Arup Kumar Goswami and Justice Praveen Kumar was based on a petition filed by advocate Sudhakar. The petitioner pointed out that there was another app developed by the AP Panchayat Raj Department available for use but not being accepted by the SEC, reported Deccan Chronicle. The High Court has ordered the SEC to hold back the use of the app until the next hearing on February 9.

The petitioner against the SEC app claimed that the app does not have the required security certificate under the Andhra Pradesh Cyber Security Policy, 2017.

The petition was moved on February 3 by advocate Sudhakar who argued that the app was developed by private agencies and does not have requisite authorisation from regulatory bodies. The lawyer in his petition said that any app used by government agencies should be verified by the authorities concerned for a safety audit. In this case the Andhra Pradesh Technology Services (APTS). He further added that there are other apps available for lodging complaints, reported Times of India.

The app is also reportedly non-compliant with several Government Orders on security aspects. Neither was the Andhra Pradesh Technology Services (APTS) approached for a security audit for the app by the SEC, said the petitioner to the court. The petitioners raised concerns about the lack of overall security features and security of personal information of complainants being protected by the app.

The High Court quizzed the SEC on the purpose of the app, the amount spent on it, its developers, and about having the mandatory security audit certificate. The SEC was also asked about why the app developed by the Panchayath Raj Development was not being used.

C Suman representing the Andhra Pradesh government told the High Court that no app without security certificate from the AP Technology Services could be put to use.

Suman informed the court that the SEC secretary K Kannababu has written to the APTS seeking a security audit. The APTS is expected to take five days to check the app’s security aspects.