Andhra Pradesh HC stays launch of citizen reporting app by State Election Commission
February 8, 2021
The Andhra Pradesh High Court stayed the state’s election commission from launching a mobile app developed to report model code violations in the upcoming Gram Panchayat elections in the state, until February 9. The app, called e-Watch Online was launched by the the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission on February 3, but immediately drew ire from the YSRCP, who claimed that the app was designed to favour the Telugu Desam Party.
Subsequently, a number of petitions were filed challenging the app’s rollout. One petition sought the High Court to direct the State Election Commission not to use the e-Watch app, claiming that the app was yet to obtain a necessary Security Audit Certificate, and was not in compliance with the National Cyber Security Policy, 2013, and the Andhra Pradesh Cyber Security Policy, 2017.