In the heart of New Delhi, the Election Commission (EC) proclaimed on Friday the remarkable efficacy of its C-Vigil mobile application as a formidable instrument wielded by the populace in signaling transgressions of the electoral code. Since the initiation of the Lok Sabha electoral process, an excess of 79,000 grievances have flooded in.

An overwhelming 99 per cent of these grievances have been duly addressed, with a noteworthy 89 per cent resolved within the span of 100 minutes, disclosed the electoral authority.

Predominantly, more than 58,500 complaints (constituting 73 per cent of the total) were directed towards the proliferation of illicit hoardings and banners, the EC elucidated, further noting the receipt of over 1,400 grievances concerning the illicit dispersal of money, gifts, and intoxicants. A marginal 3 per cent (2,454 complaints) addressed the desecration of public property.

Regarding reports of firearm displays and coercion, 529 out of 535 grievances have been satisfactorily adjudicated, the electoral body revealed. A grand total of 1,000 complaints centered around the contravention of the stipulated campaign duration, encompassing infringements such as the protracted use of loudspeakers.

It was underscored by the EC that during the press briefing to unveil the Lok Sabha election itinerary, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar issued a fervent plea to the citizenry, urging vigilance and the utilization of the app to report infractions of the Model Code of Conduct and the illicit dispensation of incentives to voters.

The electoral saga, spanning seven phases, was set in motion on March 16, with the electoral populace poised to cast their ballots between April 19 and June 1.