C-Vigil app: ECI empowers voters to report poll violations
New Delhi, Oct 21
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has urged citizens to play an active role in ensuring free and fair elections in Bihar by using the C-Vigil App to report Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations.
The move comes as the Commission gears up for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar 2025 and bye-elections in eight Assembly Constituencies (ACs).
According to an official press note issued by the Commission on Tuesday, 824 flying squads have been deployed across Bihar to promptly act on complaints.
The Commission said that every complaint received through the C-Vigil App is to be attended to within 100 minutes.
Highlighting the app's success, the ECI revealed that as of October 21, a total of 650 complaints were registered through the C-Vigil platform in the ongoing Bihar elections and other bye-election-bound states and Union Territories.
Impressively, 649 of these complaints have already been disposed of, with 612 -- around 94 per cent -- resolved within the stipulated 100 minutes.
To strengthen the complaint redressal mechanism, the ECI has also operationalised a 24x7 complaint monitoring system with a dedicated call centre helpline at 1950, allowing citizens and political parties to directly reach out to the concerned District Election Officer (DEO) or Returning Officer (RO).
"A complaint monitoring system has been set up, including a Call Centre number 1950, in which complaints can be lodged by any member of the public or political party, with the DEO/RO concerned. This system is now operational 24X7," the ECI said in its press note.
In its efforts to curb the misuse of money and inducements during elections, the Commission reported that enforcement agencies have so far seized cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and other freebies worth Rs 71.32 crore across various states and Union Territories.
The ECI reiterated its commitment to transparency and accountability in the electoral process, calling on citizens to be vigilant and report any malpractice to help maintain the integrity of elections in Bihar.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Downloaded the app immediately! Last elections in my area, we saw so much cash distribution but couldn't do anything. Now we have a proper channel to report. Hope the flying squads act without political bias ðŸ™
94% resolution within 100 minutes is actually quite good. But I wonder if this will work in remote villages where internet connectivity is poor. ECI should also promote SMS-based reporting for such areas.
As someone who has observed elections in multiple countries, I must say this is a progressive step. The 24x7 helpline and digital monitoring show India's commitment to electoral integrity. More countries should adopt such systems!
₹71 crore seized already! That shows how much illegal money flows during elections. C-Vigil app is a much-needed tool, but we also need to ensure the safety of complainants. Hope ECI maintains anonymity properly.
While the initiative is commendable, I'm concerned about false complaints. Political parties might misuse this to harass opponents. ECI should have strict penalties for those filing fake complaints to maintain the system's credibility.
Finally technology being used for good governance! The app is user-friendly and the process seems transparent. Hope this brings real change in Bihar
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