Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday announced launching of mobile application ‘cVIGIL’ (Citizen Vigilance App) to enable citizens to report violation of model code of conduct in poll-bound Odisha where Lok Sabha and Assembly elections will be held simultaneously.
Using the application, which requires an Android smartphone, any citizen can report incidents of poll-related misconduct within minutes of having witnessed them and the complainant will be informed about the action taken within 100 minutes.
This was informed by Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa in a press conference after taking stock of State’s preparedness for the ensuing poll.
The App will be operational in the State once the poll schedules are notified. Simultaneous elections are due by May in the State.
Lavasa also informed that at least one all women-managed polling stations will be set up in each Assembly segments under a parliamentary constituency during the upcoming elections.
Wherever possible, this number may be increased, he added.
A six-member ECI team led by Lavasa during their three-day visit held talks with different stakeholders, including representatives of political parties, SPs, Collectors, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi and DGP Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma in phases to ensure free and fair elections.
The Election Commissioner further informed that Accessibility Observers will be appointed for the first time to make election process more transparent in addition to General Observers, Expenditure Observers, Police Observers and Micro Observers for intensive impartial monitoring of the elections.
The Commissioner also informed that a total of 37,606 polling stations are available at 30,798 locations in the State.
