New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has urged citizens to play an active role in ensuring free and fair elections in Bihar by using the C-Vigil App to report Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations.  

The move comes as the Commission gears up for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar 2025 and bye-elections in eight Assembly Constituencies (ACs).

According to an official press note issued by the Commission on Tuesday, 824 flying squads have been deployed across Bihar to promptly act on complaints.

The Commission said that every complaint received through the C-Vigil App is to be attended to within 100 minutes.

Highlighting the app’s success, the ECI revealed that as of October 21, a total of 650 complaints were registered through the C-Vigil platform in the ongoing Bihar elections and other bye-election-bound states and Union Territories.

Impressively, 649 of these complaints have already been disposed of, with 612 — around 94 per cent — resolved within the stipulated 100 minutes.

To strengthen the complaint redressal mechanism, the ECI has also operationalised a 24×7 complaint monitoring system with a dedicated call centre helpline at 1950, allowing citizens and political parties to directly reach out to the concerned District Election Officer (DEO) or Returning Officer (RO).

“A complaint monitoring system has been set up, including a Call Centre number 1950, in which complaints can be lodged by any member of the public or political party, with the DEO/RO concerned. This system is now operational 24X7,” the ECI said in its press note.

In its efforts to curb the misuse of money and inducements during elections, the Commission reported that enforcement agencies have so far seized cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and other freebies worth Rs 71.32 crore across various states and Union Territories.

The ECI reiterated its commitment to transparency and accountability in the electoral process, calling on citizens to be vigilant and report any malpractice to help maintain the integrity of elections in Bihar.

–IANS

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