AP Panchayat Elections: AP High Court Put Stay On Usage Of E Watch App Till 9th February

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on the 5th of February, announced stay order on the e watch app use.

The e watch was launched to monitor the registered complaints and other issued related to the A.P., Grama Panchayat elections.

During the court hearing, the HC bench ordered that the app not be implemented until the 9th of February.

The public prosecutor said he had not received a security certificate for the app, which could take up to five more days hence the court adjourned the case till the 9th of February.

Earlier, the Election Commission has launched the e-Watch app on the 3rd of February.

The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) Government moved the Andhra Pradesh High Court (HC) against the e watch app. The petition was filed on the 3rd of February, hours after the State Election Commissioner (SEC) N. Ramesh Kumar launched the e watch application.

The launch of the new application was to file complaints on irregularities during the Grama Panchayat elections.

However, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh showed dissatisfaction over the launch and moved the HC.

K. Sudhakar, a member of the YSRCP filed the petition through his lawyer Jayarami Reddy.

The YSRCP Government raised objections in the use of the e watch app as it is a private app. They said, the SEC is using a new app replacing the previous one.

The Election Commission of India is officially using the cVigil app for election related issues

The State Government sought an injunction to stop the application.

Initially, the Andhra Pradesh HC was scheduled to review the petition today, the 4th of February.

However, the Court refused to hear the petition today and shifted the matter to the 5th of February. 

The next hearing in the matter is on the 9th of February.

Stay tuned for further updates.