The Election Commission in Tamil Nadu on Saturday launched a swanky mobile application to help the public file complaints of violations of the Model Code of Conduct.
Christened ‘TN Citizen Poll Watch,’ the application was released for phones that run on Android platform.
The simple application allows users to utilise the camera on their mobile phones to capture any sort of malpractice connected to the elections. The user, at the tap of an icon, can upload the videos or pictures to commission’s server with a small description of the place where the violation took place. In all, the application provides for seven different categories of violations – money distribution, gift/coupon distribution, liquor distribution, posters and banners without permission, display of firearms, convoy without permission and paid news – for the user to choose.
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Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Kumar said the identity of those uploading the information would be protected. In fact, the users could choose not to feed their name or mobile phone number when uploading the photos and videos.
Once the user sent the information, the officials in a particular constituency would be alerted and action would be initiated swiftly. However, Mr. Kumar said the public should use the application responsibly. “We request the public to use it to register genuine violations related to elections and not other things,” he said. The application can be downloaded at http://elections.tn.gov.in/ complaints.
Apart from the app, the commission has also provided three other methods for registering complaints – registering complaints online, e-mailing complaints to district control rooms and calling the commission on its toll free number 1950.
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However, the application was not available on the Android market on Saturday and had to be downloaded only from the commission’s website. Mr. Kumar also said that all vehicles, including helicopters for VIPs, would be checked to ensure that there was no illegal cash transportation.