Suvidha platform receives more than 73,000 permission requests amid election code enforcement

In just 20 days since the declaration of elections and the initiation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the Suvidha platform has received a notable 73,379 permission requests from political parties and candidates. Of these, 44,626 requests, constituting 60 per cent of the total, have been approved.

Approximately 15 per cent of the total requests, or 11,200, were rejected, while 10,819 applications were cancelled due to invalidity or duplication. The remainder of the applications are currently being processed, according to data available until April 7, 2024. Tamil Nadu had the highest number of requests at 23,239, followed by West Bengal with 11,976 and Madhya Pradesh with 10,636. The lowest numbers of requests came from Chandigarh (17), Lakshadweep (18), and Manipur (20).

The Suvidha portal, a technology solution developed by ECI, aims to ensure fair and transparent elections. It efficiently manages permission and facility requests from political parties and candidates during elections. The portal operates on a first come, first served basis, handling permissions for activities such as rallies, temporary party offices, door-to-door canvassing, video vans, helicopters, vehicle permits, and pamphlet distribution.

Available online and offline, the portal allows for seamless submission of permission requests from anywhere, at any time. Backed by a sturdy IT platform and managed by nodal officers in various state departments, the Suvidha portal ensures efficient processing of requests. It also offers a companion app for real-time tracking of requests, adding to the convenience and transparency of the process.

The Suvidha platform enhances the efficiency of the election process and ensures transparency by offering real-time tracking of applications, status updates, timestamped submissions, and communication via SMS. The permission data on the portal also serves as a valuable resource for scrutinising election expenditures, contributing to greater accountability and integrity in the electoral process.

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