AP SEC launches new mobile app for lodging complaints over panchayat polls; YSRC questions move

Ahead of the gram panchayats pollsstarting next week, Andhra Pradesh State Election CommissionerN Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday launched ''e-Watch'', a speciallydesigned mobile application that will enable the public toreport all election-related grievances.

However, the ruling YSR Congress objected to it, raisingdoubts about safety aspects of the new App and seeking to knowthe need for developing it when government apps were alreadyavailable.

The SEC brushed aside the criticism against e-Watch asbaseless, saying it was an in-house development.

All media that comes into the App would be stored in theState Data Centre only while the government's ''Mee Seva''gateway would be used to send one-time password to the users,Ramesh Kumar said.

A call centre with five staffers has also been set up inthe SEC office in Vijayawada in collaboration with RelianceJio.

Complaints related to law and order, distribution ofmoney and liquor and other poll-related issues could be filedthrough the App.

''Though they are private staff, they will be fully underthe watch of the Commission officials only,'' he said, seekingto allay apprehensions about possible misuse.

The YSR Congress questioned why the SEC was not using theNigha App of the state government or the C-Vigil of thecentral Election Commission.

''When there are government-developed Apps readilyavailable, why is the SEC using an App developed by privatepersons? The government said it will develop a new App but theSEC refused. We objected to that since the App developed bythe SEC cannot be trusted,'' Government Advisor (PublicAffairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy told reporters.

He said the e-Watch App did not have adequate securityfirewalls.

''There could be some filters in the App and ourcomplaints may not get registered. It only proves the biasednature of the State Election Commissioner,'' the advisoralleged.

Rebutting this, Ramesh Kumar said any sort of complaintsagainst election violations would be received through the App.

''All complaints will be forwarded to the respectivedistrict Collectors. It is the responsibility of theCollectors and the Superintendents of Police to address thecomplaints and resolve the issues. Otherwise they will be heldliable,'' he told mediapersons.

Status of the complaints could be seen on the App.

Feedback from citizens would also be sought on theresolution of complaints and also the overall poll process, hesaid.