New Delhi: With the aim to provide essential information to voters prior to Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the launch of a new mobile application called ‘Know Your Candidate’ (KYC).
“We have come up with a new mobile application that will enable voters to find out if a candidate, who is bidding to represent them in the Lok Sabha, has a criminal background. The application is called ‘Know Your Candidate’ or ‘KYC’,” Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said at a press conference called to announce the poll schedule.
The app aims to furnish voters with details regarding the criminal history, assets, and liabilities of electoral candidates standing in their respective constituencies and is available for download on both Android and iOS platforms.
The CEC noted that voters have the right to be informed about any criminal records of candidates contesting from their constituencies, alongside their assets and liabilities. “With this application, voters can independently verify the information regarding candidates’ criminal records and financial status. It is crucial for voters to make informed decisions,” he added.
In addition to voters being able to access information about candidates with criminal antecedents, Kumar stated that parties nominating such candidates must explain the reasons behind their selection. “The parties have to clearly state the basis of selection of a candidate with a criminal background. Candidates with a criminal record are also required to publish or make public this information in newspapers on television thrice,” the poll panel chief added.
Some of the features of the ‘Know Your Candidate’ app:
>> It allows voters to search for candidates by their names.
>> It displays information about the candidate’s criminal antecedents, if any.
>> It provides information about the status of any criminal cases filed against the candidate.
>> It shows the nature of the offences that the candidate has been accused of.
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