In an effort to provide voters with essential information ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar unveiled a new mobile application called ‘Know Your Candidate’ (KYC) on Saturday. The primary objective of this app is to furnish voters with details regarding the criminal history, assets, and liabilities of electoral candidates vying for positions in their respective constituencies.
During a press conference convened to announce the poll schedule, Kumar introduced the KYC app, emphasizing its significance in enabling voters to ascertain whether a candidate contesting for Lok Sabha representation possesses a criminal record. He highlighted the voters’ entitlement to access information pertaining to the criminal records, financial status, and other relevant details of candidates from their constituencies.
Kumar emphasized the importance of voters being able to independently verify candidates’ criminal records and financial standings through the application to facilitate informed decision-making. Furthermore, the Election Commission underscored that political parties fielding candidates with criminal backgrounds would be obligated to justify their selections. Additionally, candidates themselves would be mandated to disclose their criminal histories, which would be disseminated through newspapers and television broadcasts on three separate occasions.
The KYC app, available for download on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, offers several features, including the ability for voters to search for candidates by name. It also furnishes information regarding the candidate’s criminal past, if any, along with updates on the status of any pending criminal cases and the nature of the offenses alleged against the candidate.
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be conducted in seven phases, commencing from April 19, with the vote counting slated for June 4.
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