Gurugram district election officer and deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav announced on Thursday that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has developed several information and communication technology (ICT) applications to boost voter participation and ensure transparency, fairness, and integrity in the electoral process.
Gurugram district election officer and deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav. (HT Photo)
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Among these applications are the Suvidha Candidate app, cVIGIL, Know Your Candidate (KYC) app, Saksham app, and the Voter Helpline App (VHA).
“The Suvidha Candidate App will assist candidates during the election period with the nomination and permission processes. Candidates are required to create an account and log in with their credentials. Once logged in, they can check the status of their nominations and permissions. The cVIGIL app empowers citizens to report violations of the Model Code of Conduct during elections, while the KYC app helps voters access information regarding criminal backgrounds of contesting candidates,” said Yadav.
The Saksham app is specifically tailored to persons with disabilities (PWD), helping them register to vote, obtain information about polling stations, and cast votes. “The app includes features such as voice assistance for visually impaired voters and text-to-speech for those with hearing impairments. It also allows PWDs to register complaints about any difficulties they encounter during the voting process,” he said.
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The VHA has been developed to assist new voters with registration, correct demographic details in the voter list, locate names on voter list, and access other election-related services.
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The VHA has been developed to assist new voters with registration, correct demographic details in the voter list, locate names on voter list, and access other election-related services.
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“Through the implementation of these ICT applications, ECI aims to increase voter engagement and uphold integrity of the electoral process. The district administration is committed to promoting these tools among the public to ensure a transparent, inclusive, and efficient election in the upcoming Haryana legislative assembly elections,” said Yadav.
Yadav urged local authorities and election officials to actively promote these applications across all platforms and educate voters about these resources.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
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