“Arappor” is Arappor Iyakkam (API)’s app to actively engage with an informed citizenry.
#KnowYourCandidates section contains details of all candidates competing in the upcoming 2021 State Elections in Tamil Nadu. The App is aimed at creating awareness amongst people about the candidates standing in their constituency and help them make an informed decision.
Arappor Iyakkam was formed in August 2015, in Chennai, India, with a vision to achieve a just and equitable society. Its primary focus areas are fighting corruption in public life, disseminating awareness of citizens’ rights and developing a participative democracy.
In the 5 years since its inception, it has taken up several issues and projects of public interest and has made rapid strides in establishing itself as a player of note in governance and public affairs in Tamilnadu. Some of our flagship programs include “Know Your Rights”, audit and advocacy for the restoration of water bodies, improving the public health system, and above all, focusing on anti-corruption policy, investigation and transparency and accountability in public life.
With this app, Arappor hopes to engage more deeply and proactively with interested citizens, to share information about rights, about tools to resolve urban governance issues, about our events and possibilities to volunteer.
Specifically, Arappor believes that informed voter choice can positively influence the quality of leadership in our country. To this end, for every election cycle since 2016 in Tamilnadu, Arappor has worked on providing detailed information on the contesting candidates to the electorate including education, wealth, and criminal history. In continuation of that journey, this app will contain details of all contesting candidates for every constituency for the Lok Sabha Election 2019 in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
We hope that by widely disseminating this information to voters, we can enable them to understand the profiles of each candidate in detail, and then make their decision.
A vibrant civil society is the bedrock of a healthy democracy. This app is the next milestone in citizens’ engagement, and in using technology for the greater good.