To ensure that the election process is conducted smoothly, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday rolled out three IT-based systems— Samadhan, Suvidha and Sugam — in Punjab.
The three IT-based solutions were launched during a meeting held by Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi along with two election commissioners — AK Joti and OP Rawat — with all the Deputy Commissioners, and senior police officers.
Zaidi, presiding over a meeting, said that the single window platform using ICT solution for quality interactions with the electors, citizens, political parties, civil societies and media will help in ensuring the election process smooth and transparent.
These IT solutions will make the system independent of human influence, said Zaidi.
ECI has also directed that a proper training programme for officials and political parties will be provided for effective use of these IT systems.
Maintaining that citizens and electors are most essential stakeholders of election process, Zaidi said: “For inclusive elections, their effective participation in voting is essential. Their participation in the form of suggestions, information and complaints, if any, plays a major role in making elections free, fair and fearless elections.”
‘Samadhan’ is an online grievance registration and redress system which shall be put in place shortly to provide a unified and integrated platform for the registration and tracking of all kinds of complaints and suggestions from the citizens through mobile, landline, call-centre, SMS, email, fax etc.
The officials are directed to enquire into the complaint within specified time-limits and close the case with feedback to the complainant. In case, the time-limit is breached for any reason, there is a provision of automatic escalation to the higher officers.
‘Suvidha’ is a single window system for the political parties and the candidates seeking different permissions during the electioneering phase. This facility provides single window clearance within 24 hours for all the permissions in all the constituencies through online software.
During the elections, district machinery will also ensure that all political parties will have full and equal opportunity to campaign holding meetings, rallies etc.
With due permissions cleared within 24 hours, DMs will monitor that the permissions are granted within prescribed time frame.
‘Sugam’, a vehicle management system, is an efficient and elegant web-based application for managing the vehicles diverted or requisitioned from other departments during election period for election work.
The details of department, vehicle registration number, driver contacts, periodical fuel allotment to the vehicle are captured in the software. The application also has provision for managing the vehicles taken from private operators on hiring basis, it said.