From ordering food and shopping to hiring a cab, there’s an app for everything today. So why should the elections be left behind? To make information about the upcoming Karnataka elections more accessible, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is launching 4 Karnataka election apps for Android users.
These apps will tell voters everything they need to know about the upcoming elections, such as where they can vote, voting symbols etc.
Karnataka Election Apps – Development
These apps have been developed by the IT cell of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. Hence, no additional funds have been invested in it. The apps were designed to create awareness about the polls and enable users to maintain the model code of conduct.
In addition to enabling users to access contact details of the election officers, it also allows users to register complaints easily and upload photographs of incidents that go against the code of conduct. The 4 apps are:
- General Election Quiz App
A quiz is often the easiest way to gain information and test retention. This app will randomly ask the user ten questions about the elections. On passing the test, users will be given an online certificate.
The developers of Karnataka election apps hope this will make users share the app with their friends and family and increase awareness about the Assembly elections.
- Election Directory App
Making the election process transparent, free and fair is not only the job of election officers. If a voter sees an untoward action, he or she must report the same.
To make this possible, this app provides users with the contact details of all election officers in each constituency. This will allow a user to contact the concerned election officer and leave them a text message on the app.
- Model Code of Conduct App
To hold free and fair elections, the Karnataka government has gone a step further by introducing this Karnataka election app that allows users to upload audio and video clips of activities taking place during the elections.
If any candidate or political party violates the model code of conduct through these activities, this audio or video clip could be proof.
The user can also upload a short note about the incident along with the clip. This information will be accessible from the control room. It may then be used to alert election officers in the area.
- Polling Station Navigator App
One of the reasons people do not vote is that they do not know where they are supposed to do so. This app hopes to increase voter turnout by helping direct users to the correct voting booths. By entering their voter ID number into the app, the user will be shown the exact location of the polling booth he or she needs to visit. The app will also show users the best route to reach this polling booth.
With the launch of these Karnataka election apps, the upcoming Karnataka state assembly elections will be the most technologically savvy yet.
Karnataka Election 2018 – Interesting Figures and Dates
| Category | 2013 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|
| Female Voters | 21,367,912 | 24,471,979 |
| Transgender Voters | 2,100 | 4,552 |
| Male Voters | 22,315,727 | 25,205,820 |
| Number of Young Voters | 718,000 | 1,542,000 |
| Total Number of Voters | 44,403,739 | 51,224,351 |
| Date of notification | April 17 |
|---|---|
| Last date to file nomination | April 24 |
| Last date to withdraw nomination | April 27 |
| Date of polling | May 12 |
| Date of counting | May 15 |