Round 7 - Election Apps

https://eci.gov.in/divisions-of-eci/ict-apps/

The Election Commission of India has accomplished the constitutional task

of deepening electoral democracy through institution building,
transparency & accessibility, adopting the inclusive approach, and
strengthening it through process simplification and proactive
interventions. Especially, the various technological tools have enabled the
Commission to bring in more efficiency, widespread reach, and
accountability in the conduct of free and fair elections in recent times.

The ecosystem of new apps in ECI especially mobile apps have played a
major role in elections. The mobile apps provides better personalization,
ease of sending notifications, mobile-specific features such as camera to
capture, contact list access, Geographic Navigation System, phone calls,
accelerometer, compass and the ability to work offline thereby making it
more user friendly for voters and Election Officials.
Election Commission of India has used this opportunity and developed a
suite of 20 Apps that provides a perfect ecosystem for rolling the giant
wheel of the electoral system from Registration to Results. The elections
have following 4 technological phases where the ecosystem of these
applications are used. These four phases are described briefly as below:

1. Non-Election: This phase depicts the continuous phase when the voters
register into the system and there are no major elections scheduled.
2. Pre-election: This phase starts generally one year / 6 months before the
elections and extends up to the date of the announcement of elections. This
phase is characterized by Election Planning and preparation.
3. In-elections: This phase is the most important phase which starts from the date
of the announcement, runs through the poll day, and ends on the conclusion
of counting.
4. Post-elections: This phase signifies the time when the reports are generated
and post audits are done after the end of the elections.

The apps work in tandem during non-election, pre-election, in-election

and post-election phases to create a perfect ecosystem providing
seamless interfaces for all stakeholders. The applications have been so
designed carefully, that they cover all the phases effectively.

Phase 1: Non-Election Phase

 The first
application for the non- election phase, where there is no obvious activity
undertaken for the preparation of an election but is primarily characterised
by voter enrolment, improvement of polling station facilities and
strengthening of the electoral roll. The Election Commission of India
utilizes ICT application for new voter registration, correction of entries, and
migration cases apart from polling station rationalisation.

There are four methods by which a new voter is engaged.

First method is through the use of the Voter Portal. The portal provides
the facility of searching names in the electoral roll by using the EPIC
number or personal details, registration of new voters, corrections of
particulars, and migration cases inside or outside the assembly
constituency. The voter can submit the form and upload the relevant
documents with ease using this app. There is no requirement to submit
hard copies of the documents. Once the forms are submitted, the citizen
can visit the portal and check the status of the submitted application.

The feature of integration with Digilocker facilitates uploading of the

documents with ease.

The second method is through the use of the award-

winning Voter Helpline Mobile App. This mobile application connects
five databases for ECI together thereby presenting seamless services for
the citizens. The mobile application allows Indian Voters to search their
names from 920 million electors in a fraction of a second. The voter can
verify their name, the polling station, details in the voter card, and also the
election schedule. If a voter already has a voter ID card then the App
provides facility to verify the details by simply scanning the barcode of
voter id card.
The mobile app provides submission of forms for voter registration,
migration and corrections. The user can simply upload the documents and
fill the form. The form goes directly to the Electoral Registration Officer of
the relevant Assembly Constituency for decision.

If the Voter is unable to avail the services, he can directly file a complaint
to ECI using the mobile app. The Voter Helpline App is available both on
iOS and on Android. The App has been downloaded 25 Million times and
54 Million electoral searches have been performed till date.

The third method is by SMS. By sending a short message at a designated

number, a voter can verify the presence of their names in electoral register.

The fourth method is by calling toll free 1950: 1950 is one universal
number available across India by which any user can call from any mobile
operator and can talk to election-related issues in more than 22
languages. The agents are trained to operate on a universal portal for
searching the names of the voters, taking the requests of new forms, and
also lodging a complaint in case of any grievance.

The unique feature of the call centre is that it is available in all Districts
and State Headquarters, but they are all connected by a common
backbone of ICT application called as National Grievance Services Portal.
 The
Election Commission had declared Lok Sabha Elections 2019 as accessible
elections. Special efforts were made to ensure ICT enablement for Persons
with Disabilities. This second application called PWD App was launched
with the primary focus to ensure wider participation of Persons With
Disabilities (PWD).

This application is specifically designed to keep visual impairment, hearing

impairment, and other disabilities into mind. PWD users can search their
names & their voter ID details using this app. The Commission has
provided detailed facilities for requesting doorstep facility for form filling
to PwD electors. The application also provided the facility for marking
themselves as PwD by describing their locomotive disability and
requesting for wheelchairs. The visually impaired persons can hear the list
of contesting candidates exactly as per the ballot sequence in the form
7A. Thus, they can confidently go to the polling station and press the right
button in the Electronic Voting Machine. The application is available both
on Android and iOS platforms.

The third application called ECI RTI Portal provides an online platform for
requesting for right to information. Not just the application provides filing
of RTI application but it provides filing of appeal and payment of RTI fees.
This application provides the perfect means for improving the
transparency and visibility.
The fourth application, very active during the Non-Election period, is
called the Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation
program. It provides for voter education, spreading voter awareness and
promoting voter literacy in India. The SVEEP Portal provides an effective
digital engagement platform. The website contains forums, quizzes,
manuals, tutorials and also provides a facility for voters to share
photographs during the polling day.

The fifth application is about the ECI website that has been created by
the ECI to provide deep integration of mobile applications and provide
various accessibility and mobile-friendly features. The website has a
modern interface, easy access and search and content driven framework.
The new website contains information from the 1952 election onwards
and is updated dynamically.
The sixth application built by the commission is for facilitating Political
Party registration tracking online. Once the political party submits its
application, a unique number is allocated, and thereafter by using this
number he/she can track the status of his application online on his/her
mobile. All types of discrepancies are intimated to the application from
the portal itself and the intimation of registration is communicated online.
This has brought in time-bound disposal and openness in Political party
registration.
Phase 2: Pre-election
Planning Phase

Six months to one year before the election depending upon the nature of
election, a large scale planning exercise is undertaken with a view to move
the Electronic Voting Machines and prepare for the material and
resources. The machines’ requirement is assessed and then the machines
are moved from manufacturer to district warehouses and also from one
district warehouse to the other district warehouse of the States based
upon the requirements.

To track and record the end to end movement for each machine from
placement to destruction, a seventh application was developed as a new
centralized software and is called EVM Management System (EMS). The
EMS is designed to manage inventory of EVM units i.e. tracking of units
from manufacturer to state, state to state, and district to district. The
Election commission strictly ensures a highly secure, non-interrupted, and
non-manipulated distribution of machines from one place to another
place managed by district warehouses using this web application.

The whole process of the Randomization of Ballot Unit, Control Unit,

and VVPAT is done multiple times in the presence of Political Parties and
then finalized using the EMS softwares. This has added another layer of a
confidence-building measure to establish the neutrality of
the EVM machines.

Apart from Machine movement, various electoral exercises like

improvement of health of electoral roll, new voter registration and
updating of records are done using an online application called
as ERONET.

Phase 3:

In-election
Date of the announcement to date of poll
The eighth application created by the commission is another award-
winning App called cVIGIL which stands for Citizen Vigilance. It is a mobile
application designed by the Election Commission of India, with an
opportunity to report election code violations directly by citizens. It is
widely available, easy to use, generates legally tenable and prosecutable
information to administrators. Chief Electoral Officers, District Election
Officers, Returning Officers, flying squads and Police who all use the ICT
application in prompt disposal of Model Code, Expenditure violation
cases.

A trinity of factors working simultaneously makes cVIGIL a successful.

Users capture audios, photos or videos in real-time, and a “100-minute”
countdown for time-bound disposal of complaints is ensured. The app
automatically enables a geo-tagging feature as soon as the user switches
on their camera in the cVIGIL to report a violation. This means that flying
squads could know the precise location of a reported violation, and the
image captured by citizens could be used as evidence in the court of law.

The result: nearly 1,42,250 complaints were received in the 2019

parliamentary election period; 99% of which were disposed of and 80% of
which were found correct. Previously only 20-25% of complaints received
were found to be correct for the cases reported under model code of
conduct.

The ninth application is an extended portal of cVIGIL called MCC

violation portal to make MCC violations data available in the public
domain. It allows the publication of all important MCC violation cases,
notice issued, and decision of ECI through this online portal. This provides
wider dissemination of violation by important leaders.

The tenth app of ECI is Candidate Nomination Application. The

candidates are provided with an option to file their candidature online,
digitise their affidavit and deposit the security through online payment.
The system generates the printable filled-in form consisting of the QR
code for easy submission to the returning officer. This is a significant
milestone in the candidate nomination process especially relevant during
the COVID pandemic. Once the application is filed successfully, the
candidate can track their scrutiny status from the portal or by using the
exclusive candidate app o the ECI called as Candidate suvidha app.

The Election Commission of India has designed in-house software for

complete Candidate and election management through a software
called ENCORE which stands for Enabling Communications on Real-time
Environment. This provide seamless facility for Returning Officer to process
candidate nomination, affidavit, Voter turnout, counting, results and data
management.

The eleventh application is called ENCORE Scrutiny Application. It is a

part of ENCORE that allows Returning Officers to do scrutiny of the
nominations filed by the candidates. Each nomination is verified and the
status is marked as ‘Accepted’, ‘Rejected’ or ‘Withdrawn’ depending on
the candidate’s nomination acceptance, rejection or withdrawal of
candidature. This helps the Returning Officer to prepare the final list of
contesting candidates and assign the symbols.
The twelfth application is called candidate Affidavit portal for displaying
information about candidate’s finances, assets and their liabilities. The
affidavit portal is available at: https://affidavit.eci.gov.in/. These features
of the affidavit are also available on the voter helpline app. Each
candidate's original affidavit can be downloaded in PDF format. Similarly
counter affidavits filed by others are also available on this portal for every
citizen to read and make informed decision about their candidates.

The thirteenth application is a ENCORE Nodal App. Various departments

like fire, education, police, environment, CPWD give no objection before
any permission request from political party/ candidates is received in
reference to holding rallies/ roadshows, meetings etc. Earlier, the matter
would go individually to each nodal officer, thereby wasting a lot of time.
The nodal app allows them to give no objection certificate on the go,
thereby saving considerable time.The Candidates / Political parties can
make the permission request online using the
portal https://suvidha.eci.gov.in

Date of poll
The fifteenth application is called Booth App which facilitates faster
identification of voters using quick search of the electors based on serial
number/EPIC number/name. This reduces the queue in the polling station,
helps in faster polling, and provides an error-free recording of real-time
poll voter turnout with minimal intervention.

Booth app allows easy identification of electors with colored photos

directly coming from the electoral roll. It even prevents duplicate electors
from casting the vote.

Finally the booth app allows submission of presiding officer diaries with
minimal intervention.
The most important feature is the queue information system. Voters can
see the queue in their polling station even before visiting the polling
station.

Voter Turnout App provides approximate voter turnout percentage of

each assembly constituency/ Parliamentary constituency to the larger
public. This voter turnout app is exclusively used by citizens and also has
been the primary method used by media houses. The application is
available in the Google Play store and Apple App Store.

Date of Counting

To ensure fast
and authentic results of the elections, a very important application has
been developed. This connects the counting centres across India in a
secured manner and the counting data is calculated through this software
and entered. Once the correctness is verified by the Counting staff, the
results are submitted online. The moment the results are punched in, it
becomes available to the citizens through various medium.

This has revolutionised the way the results are displayed. Not only it
reduces the speculations, but provides the real time results.

The ECI hosted the results on the website https://results.eci.gov.in This

website witnessed 812.3 million hits in a single day during the Lok Sabha
Election of 2019.

Secondly, the results are also available through the Voter Helpline and
Pwd App. A user can customise the results according to his need and
preference. He can bookmark a certain candidate, constituency and State
or he can scan his EPIC card to directly see the result of his constituency.

Thirdly, we launched Result

Trends TV which is a customizable auto-scrolling panel displaying the
results in real-time. These are installed outside the counting centers,
public places, and are also used as a standard monitor for the officials
monitoring the results.

Phase 4: Post Elections

The Nineteenth application developed is for monitoring day to day
election expenditure incurred by the candidates and is called the Election
Expenditure App. The monitoring of election expenses has to be done on
a regular basis during the campaign period so as to properly and correctly
account every election expenditure incurred by the candidates and
political parties during this period.

Twentieth application called Index card is an important module of

ENCORE. The final statistical report of the election is managed in the Index
card application. Every detail of the election is reconciled with the physical
record, validated and verified by the Returning Officers and Chief Electoral
Officer of the State and thereafter published on the website for public view
and analysis. Upon the successful launch of Index Card Application, the
process of publication and verification has been simplified.

Conclusion
The Suite of application developed in the recent times provides
interoperability between the several departments of ECI thereby
providing the improvement in management and sharing of data.
Secondly, the ICT platform of ECI improves business processes for all
electoral staff as well as enhances transparency of election management
flow. Thirdly, the integration of software allows ECI to develop IT facilities
easily and respond timely to the growing expectations of the elections and
electors. And lastly, these ICT applications have enabled ECI by making
communication easier, reducing the time and effort, better functionality,
improved control that has led to an increase in the efficiency of the
Conduct of Elections.
The suite of web-based and mobile Apps stitch the end to end processes
of elections and provide valuable assistance for decision-makers. The
development made in ICT by ECI has laid the foundation for the next
general elections to Parliament in the year 2024.