The Tamil Nadu Elections Department will use the power of citizen journalism to curb bribery and unfair practices by politicians, according to Praveen Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer.

Any member of the public will be able to use their mobile phones to take photographs or videos of instances of politicians paying cash for votes or not complying with election norms and directly upload the evidence to the authorities. Details will be announced in about a week; the system is now under test, Kumar said.

Curbing bribery - politicians paying out cash or handing out gifts to citizens for votes - is the biggest challenge the Department faces. Continuous monitoring has helped curb the activity happening openly. The challenge now is to ensure that it does not happen clandestinely. The Department is using information technology tools to seek citizens’ support to prevent such illegal practices.

Election Department officials have confiscated over ₹6.85 crore in cash and ₹46.90 lakh of various items.

In the last Assembly elections, over ₹35 crore confiscated by the officials had been handed over to the IT Department. Nobody has so far come forward to claim the amount, he said.

Ajay Yadav, Joint CEO – IT, said public can directly email to the District Collector’s office and toll-free numbers have also been provided. These have been widely circulated and put on the Department’s website (www.elections.tn.gov.in).

Public awareness campaigns with video clippings of celebrities advising voters to vote with a conscience and not accept cash are also being broadcast over cable TV and cinema halls.

The officials released a video clipping of actor Kamal Haasan urging voters to act with responsibility. The clipping will soon go on air.

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