April 7, 2024 2:13 PM.
The Election Commission said that over 73 thousand applications have been received on the Suvidha Portal in just 20 days since the announcement of General Elections 2024. Recognising the importance of the election campaign period, where parties and candidates engage in activities to reach out to voters, the Suvidha Portal caters to a diverse range of permission requests transparently on the First in First Out principle. It caters to permissions for organising rallies, opening temporary party offices, door-to-door canvassing, video vans, helicopters, obtaining vehicle permits, and distributing pamphlets.
The Commission said, more than 44 thousand 600 requests have been approved and the First in First out principle is ensuring a level playing field for parties and candidates. It said, Suvidha Portal also promotes transparency in election management. The Poll Body said that nearly 11 thousand 200 requests had been rejected which is 15 per cent of the total requests received and over 10 thousand applications were cancelled as were invalid or duplicates. The rest of the applications are under process. Maximum requests of over 23 thousand were received from Tamil Nadu followed by West Bengal nearly 12 thousand and Madhya Pradesh over 10 thousand.
The Suvidha portal is a technological solution developed by ECI to ensure a level playing field upholding the democratic principles of free, fair and transparent elections. Demonstrating an impressive track record, the Suvidha Portal streamlined the process of obtaining and acting upon requests for permissions and facilities from political parties and candidates during the election period.
Accessible through the Suvidha Portal (suvidha.eci.gov.in), political parties and candidates can seamlessly submit permission requests online from anywhere, at any time. Additionally, offline submission options are available to ensure inclusivity and equal opportunity for all stakeholders.