Andhra Pradesh High Court stays use of e-Watch App for reporting poll violations; seeks reply from AP Election Commission on security concerns

The Andhra Pradesh (AP) High Court has restrained the State Election Commission from using the mobile application e-Watch for the upcoming Gram Panchayat Elections in AP. .A Division Bench led by CJ Arup Kumar Goswami on Tuesday also directed the State Election Commission to respond to the security concerns raised against the application. .E-Watch was launched for reporting violations of Model Code of Conduct and to curb malpractices during the upcoming Panchayat elections in the State . .The Petition was filed under Article 226 of the Constitution by Angrekula Nageswaro claiming that the launch of E-watch was not in compliance with the National Cyber Security Policy, 2013 and the Andhra Pradesh Cyber Security Police, 2017..Further, it was also submitted that there are existing applications developed by the Election Commission of India (c-VIGIL) and the Panchayat Raj Department, State of Andhra Pradesh (NIGHAA)..One of the grounds which was urged by the petitioners was that the “necessary Security Audit Certification is yet to be obtained and without such certificate, it will be impermissible for the State Election Commission to use the Application.”.When the case was heard on February 5, Senior Advocate C Sumon who appeared for the State government informed the Court that the State Election Commission had already written a letter to the director of the Andhra Pradesh Technology Services Limited (APTSL), requesting to “issue a Security Audit Certificate” which will take around 4-5 days, The Counsel appearing for the Election Commission stated “that he is not aware” about the development and sought time to take instructions which was granted. .The Court, therefore, adjourned the matter for February 9 while also ordering that the application should not be used till February 9. .“We deem it appropriate to take up these Petitions on February 9, for further consideration and till then E-watch mobile application shall not be given effect to by the State Election Commission,” the Court said on February 5. .When the matter was taken up on February 9, the Court asked the State Election Commission whether or not it had any objection to use of existing applications, c-VIGIL and NIGHAA to which the SEC responded that it has no objection..The State counsel meanwhile submitted that the APTSL has raised security concerns about e-Watch.The Court, therefore, asked the State Election Commission to clarify about the same and posted the case for further hearing on February 17. The stay on use of e-Watch will continue in the meanwhile. .Advocate Ashwani Kumar, represented the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission Senior Advocate C Sumon, appeared for the Andhra Pradesh government. Additional Solicitor General N Harinath appeared for the Union of India while advocate VR Reddy appeared for the Petitioner..[Read Order]