Lok Sabha Elections 2024: EC rolls out KYC app to help you know your candidate

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: CEC Rajiv Kumar said the parties giving tickets to tainted candidates will have to explain why they chose them over other, more deserving, claimants. The parties will have to clearly state the basis of selection of a candidate with a criminal background.

It's the season of KYC - be it the financial front or the poll turf. At a time when the Reserve Bank of India keeps a hawk eye on KYC compliance by fintech firms, the Election Commission has rolled out another form of KYC - to Know Your Candidate - ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The Know Your Candidate (KYC) mobile application allows a voter to check if a candidate standing for elections in her constituency has a criminal record. The app is available to both Android and iOS users.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced the launch of this app as part his announcement of the poll schedule in New Delhi on March 16. He stressed on the importance of voters getting to know their candidates at more than just the surface level. "We have come up with this mobile application to enable voters to find out if a candidate, who is bidding to represent them in the Lok Sabha, has a criminal background," he said.

This move aims to increase transparency and accountability in the electoral process, ensuring that voters have access to comprehensive information about candidates before casting their votes.

KYC app details

The app allows voters to find out if there's any records of crime against a candidate, and also know his or her assets and liabilities. Candidates are required to disclose their criminal records in newspapers and on television three times and the parties nominating such candidates must justify their selection over other deserving candidates.

"The voters can also now check for themselves the assets and liabilities that candidates with criminal antecedents hold. All relevant information in this regard will be made available on this application," Kumar said.

"The parties giving tickets to such tainted candidates have to explain why they chose them over other, more deserving, claimants. They have to clearly state the basis of selection of a candidate with a criminal background," he added.

Lok Sabha election dates 2024

The EC on Saturday announced in a press conference in the national capital that the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024 will take place across seven phases starting April 19 until June 1. The counting will take place on June 4.

During the briefing, the poll panel chief also announced that Assembly elections will be held in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim in a single phase while Odisha will vote in four phases. Full Story Here

The EC also stated that the four-state Assembly elections will be held in parallel with the parliamentary polls. While Andhra will go to polls on May 13, Arunachal and Sikkim will poll on April 19. Bypolls in 26 Assembly seats will also be held along with the Lok Sabha polls.

Also Read: EC gears up to deal with Muscle, Money, Misinformation, Model Code violations

(With inputs from agencies)