EC Introduces ‘Nirbachon Surokkha’ App to Strengthen Digital Monitoring at Polling Centres

The Election Commission (EC) has stepped up digital surveillance to ensure security at polling centres during the 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum by introducing the ‘Nirbachon Surokkha’ (Election Security) mobile application.

The app will be used to instantly report any untoward incident at polling centres during voting and to ensure swift assistance from law enforcement agencies.

To this end, presiding officers as well as members of the police and Ansar deployed at polling centres are being registered as end users of the application. Necessary instructions in this regard have already been sent to all returning officers.

The information was revealed in an official letter signed by EC Senior Assistant Secretary Md Shahidul Islam on Tuesday, February 10.

According to the letter, the ‘Nirbachon Surokkha’ app will be used during the upcoming parliamentary election and referendum to immediately report any unexpected or disruptive incident at polling centres and to obtain rapid response support. Presiding officers, police personnel and Ansar members assigned to polling duties will operate the application as end users.

Once an incident is reported through the app, instant SMS alerts and in-app notifications will be sent to the designated responders in the concerned area, including law enforcement and armed forces personnel, enabling them to take prompt action.

The EC said field-level officials have already been trained in using the ‘Nirbachon Surokkha’ application. Presiding officers must be registered on the platform to ensure effective implementation.

The letter further instructed returning officers, assistant returning officers, upazila election officers and thana election officers to take necessary steps to complete the registration of presiding officers as end users and to ensure optimal use of the application to facilitate a free, fair and orderly election.

DBTech/CMM/EK