Data with the Election Commission show people in Kerala have been making good use of the c-Vigil app to file complaints regarding Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations in the run-up to the April 26 Lok Sabha polls.
Majority of the complaints so far received pertain to display of posters and banners without permission and property defacement.
Of the 50,129 complaints received since the March 16 announcement of the Lok Sabha polls, 44,048 cases were related to illegal posters and banners and 2,396, to property defacement.
Eighty-five complaints were related to ‘display of firearms/intimidation’ and 850, to display of posters without the mandatory declaration.
Complaints regarding the distribution of liquor and money as inducements numbered 18 and 12 respectively. Eighteen complaints were filed in connection with speeches or messages with religious and communal overtones.
Other complaints were related to use of vehicles and convoys without permission (65 cases) and use of speakers beyond the permitted hours (6 cases).
In 848 instances, the complaints were checked and dropped, according to the data compiled for the period from March 16 to March 30.
On March 18, just two days into the announcement of the Lok sabha elections, the total number of complaints filed in Kerala numbered 2,038, as per data released by the Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) Sanjay Kaul at the time.
Announcing the election schedules on March 16, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had urged citizens to use the app to report MCC violations and distribution of inducements to voters. The ECI describes c-Vigil as a user-friendly and easy to operate application, which connects citizens to the District Control Room, Returning Officers and Flying Squad teams.
